


Pawprints

by heartykeykeke



Category: Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - College/University, Animals, Cats, Danik, Fantasy, Fluff, M/M, Shifters, animaltransfomers, catlovers, catobsessed, chobits - Freeform, cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-25
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-02-06 16:09:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 37
Words: 239,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12821157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartykeykeke/pseuds/heartykeykeke
Summary: Ong Seongwoo is a cat shifter who ran away from his cruel father. He wants to live in the human world and he dislikes his cat body. Daniel is a college student on a camping trip with his major buddies. He sees a pretty Bengal cat with the most enchanting green eyes napping in the grass. As an avid cat lover, he can’t help but go and say hello. They bond instantly, especially because Seongwoo is starved for food and affection, not used to being on his own in the woods. He sneaks into his car, hoping to catch a ride to the city so he can begin his life in the human world. Daniel adopts him and takes him in, not knowing the boy that he meets in the library and starts to fall for is actually the cat he’s taking care of….





	1. Cutest Cat Ever!

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be an extra fluffy and cute story with sprinklings of angst used to develop Ongniel’s relationship further. I always loved how Daniel is a cat lover and how Ong really resembles a cat and so I think a dynamic where Daniel treated Ong like a cat would be really sweet. Hope you enjoy~ Wanna One does appear in this story and they are all couples. I enjoy the ships Minhwan, 2sung, Deephwi, and Panwink so that's who you will see as couples in this story sprinkled here and there. There will also be suggestions of smut here and there but nothing serious until the very end and I will put a proper warning out.

 "Cheers!" The noisy boys hit their beer cans together as they shouted. When they clanged together, some foam and liquid spilled out all over their hands but they were too drunk to care. They were in the middle of the woods anyway, so they figured it didn't really matter.

     "Daniel, have some more meat~!" Minhyun put some more meat from the grill on Daniel's plate.

     "Don't mind if I do~" the Busan boy sang happily, his accent slipping out from his excitement.

     "Oh, your accent's out again~" Jaehwan teased. "I wish I had a cool accent too! Let me try..."

     Meat was one of Daniel's favorite foods, through he pretty much loved anything that he could stuff in his mouth. He was still a growing boy with a large frame to energize, so he ate four to five meals a day. He was even hungry in the middle of the night, so he'd go to the kitchen and make himself instant noodles or an egg-fry sandwich, which was pretty much the extent of his cooking skills. If he was too lazy to do that minor excuse he called cooking, then he would sit in his bed and pig-out on his stash of jellies, tossing the wrappers on the floor along with the rest of his junk.  He didn't care at all about the state of his room since he was living away from his parents now and his roommate, Jisung, was pretty chill. 

     "Eat up, eat up! This is all on me!" Jonghyun insisted.

     It was the Senior in their IT field who was in charge of mentoring them through the next few years that had suggested they have some male bonding time. So they had taken a train out to Gapyeong to go camping in the middle of the forest by some river. Daniel hadn't ever been to this area since he was raised by the ocean way down south of the country and his parents were not too fond of the woods or camping. Actually, this was his first real camping experience. He couldn't say he much liked it, however. There were way too many bugs.

     Daniel was terrified of bugs and these ones were even huger than the ones he was used to seeing, not that any bugs in their country were particularly small, especially in the ridiculously hot, humid summer. He had already suffered a ton of mosquito bites that left welts on his skin. Well, he was just trying to ignore it and think positive which was one of the mottos he lived by. The food, alcohol and the company made it easier.

     They played drinking games as they ate and drank beer to relieve the slightly awkward silence that drifted in from time to time. That silence was inevitable though because they had just met the other day at orientation. He barely even remembered people's names quite yet. There was Jonghyun, Minhyun, Taehyun, Xiumin, Kai, Jaehwan, Sungwoon, his roommate Jisung and...some others he couldn't recall currently. They seemed like decent guys so far. He hadn't talked to anyone much yet because he was rather shy and naturally quiet(except for when it came to talking to himself which he did frequently). He was talkative after he warmed up to people but that took him awhile. Especially after he'd come to Seoul. He wasn't comfortable speaking the Seoul dialect and he was worried people would tease him or not understand what he was saying if his Busan dialect slipped out. 

     He dropped his chopsticks on the floor in the middle of laughing at Jaehwan's terrible attempt at mimicking his Busan accent. He was a person that believed in protecting the environment from pollution in any way he could, so he bent down to throw it away though many Korean people would just leave things scattered on the ground in public areas like this. That's when he noticed a furry creature napping in the grass from a few yards away. A delighted grin lit up his face at the pleasant surprise he discovered. He left the picnic table, forgetting about the fallen chopsticks, and tip-toed over. The cat's pointy ears twitched and his head lifted as he sensed movement. The cat's eyes opened, peering directly at him with instinctive alertness. 

     "Hey there, kitty~" he said softly, walking another yard closer. The cat stayed still, merely tilting his head to the right. He seemed to be saying back to him _'Um..hi? Did you want something?'_

     Kang Daniel had a thing for cats. All of his friends, family, even his neighbors and his roommate knew about it. He took pictures with his cats and showed them off like prizes often. His cats were his girlfriend and best friend replacements. They were pretty much his life. So, he felt lonely when he learned he could not bring them to college. However, to his delight, Seoul and even his college campus had a lot of cats wondering around. He often fed them and played with them, even if they were stray cats which most people avoided out of fear of being scratched or getting some disease. To him, though, every cat was a potential friend, whether they had an owner now, previously, or had never had one.

     "You certainly are pretty, aren't you, boy?" He cooed as he squatted down next a yard away from the cat, snapping his fingers gently to get the pretty animal's attention.

     There was a rather large, lanky, beautiful short-haired cat with brown fur and black circles that resembled a cheetah's pattern. These cats were called Bengals, weren't they, he thought to himself. He looked them up on his phone to make sure. He checked the cat had the same markings and was equally proportioned much bigger and longer in the legs and tail. His ears were elongated and extremely pointy and he had the signature white mouth and green eyes. He was certain it was a Bengal now. Wow, he'd never actually seen one. They were rare and extremely expensive. Plus, they grew to be quite huge so not many people had the space to raise them.

     He'd seen a lot of cats but he'd never seen a cat that looked so ethereal, pretty, and majestic. The Bengal cat stretched his long front legs out, swinging his thin tail around as he thrust his bottom high into the air. Then he cutely yawned and stood up. He seemed to be yawning out _'Oh, I'm so sleepy, that was a great nap~'_ It was a young cat, probably just over a year old, so he wasn't as big as he would get when he was an adult. The brown cat looked over at him curiously as Daniel continued to call to it. He cocked his head, his stark yellow-green eyes staring at the human with caution. He stood there, blinking at Daniel, swishing his tail left and right, an almost judging look on his face. He seemed to be saying _'What's with this creepy dude? Why's he staring at me with that silly grin?'_

     Daniel tried to appear as friendly as possible. He smiled and gently coaxed the cat in a low, sweet tone, patting the grass gently. "Come here, pretty boy. Come here a second. I won't hurt you. I love cats. Come here, that's a good boy..." 

      The pretty Bengal had stepped a few cautious, slow steps forward, his head cocking left and right, his body tense like he was prepared to run if the human did anything he felt threatened by. The cat seemed to be saying _'Don't move, I'll come to you and see if you're trustworthy...'_ Daniel stayed still as possible, holding his breath and continuing to smile. The cat took a few more steps forward, his tail swishing as he was growing a bit more at ease. Eventually, the cat was just a few inches from his hand. His cold nose went forward as the cat stretched out only his head and sniffed his finger. Daniel's smile grew wider as the cat finally decided he wasn't dangerous and rubbed his cheek against Daniel's finger like he had an itch.

     "Are you itchy here? I'll scratch it for you," he murmured happily, scratching behind the cat's velvety soft ears. 

     The cat's green eyes half-closed in pleasure and he lied down, bringing his tail close to his body almost like he was hugging himself. Daniel knew this as a sign of total submission. The cat was fully comfortable with him now. Daniel would be able to pet him as long as he didn't make any sudden, rough movements. Daniel slid his hand down the cat's back gentle and slow, careful not to go too close to his tummy or tail because most cats really despised that. Apparently, those areas were extremely sensitive. The cat looked up at him with half-closed, lime colored eyes and an almost human-like grin of delight as Daniel stroked from his head to his bottom several times. His fur was incredibly silky, meaning the cat must bathe himself thoroughly and frequently. He wondered what this precious animal was doing in the middle of the woods and if it had an owner. If he did have an owner, Daniel was quite envious of that person. 

     "Are you that obsessed with cats? We're here to have a good time, come join us and drink up!" Xiumin, his new friend, called him over. 

     Daniel remembered the beer and talks he had been enjoying with the guys he was going to be studying with in his IT major. He suddenly didn't have much of an urge to go back and re-join though. He wanted to spend some more time with this cat, especially when the cat was looking at him somehow with this lonely, upset kind of look. It was practically tell him,  _'Don't leave yet, I like your hands~'_  

     "I'll come in a bit!" he called back. "Save me a beer for later."

     Xiumin shook his head at him in amused exasperation and turned back to the talkative group. The cat seemed smugly pleased to have won Daniel's affection over the human for the time being. He was giving Daniel a reward by putting his front paws on his leg and rubbing his nose on Daniel's hand. He smiled affectionately and scratched the cat's head. The cat turned his head sideways and pressed his ear more into his palm. He seemed to be saying _, 'Oh, yes, right there, you got it~'_

     "Aren't you the cutest?" he chuckled.  

     The cat rolled over on his back, four spindly, brown legs curled up in the air. His stomach Daniel noticed was white and brown mixed like his mouth and groomed to perfection. His tail swished in the air playfully and he turned his head to look at him with a little smile. _'I'm cute, right? If you think I'm cute, then pet my tummy, now~'_ he seemed to be demanding in an arrogant, childlike way. 

     "Wow, you've really got some personality. It's like I can read your thoughts. And you're so clean. My cats are house cats yet they don't groom as diligently as you do..."

     The cat continued to look at him, now appearing even more smug and arrogant. Maybe he shouldn't compliment the animal too much. It wasn't good when affection started going to cats' heads. They were intelligent animals and they knew how to use a human's affections to their advantage. Like when it came to begging for food, sleeping in your bed, or climbing on counters, for example. If you gave a cat an inch, they'd walk ten miles. This cat seemed even more intelligent than your average one. Still, it wouldn't hurt to compliment this one. After all, he was a cat living in the woods and Daniel would be leaving tomorrow to go back to the city anyway. HE wasn't going to be the one struggling to raise a spoiled kitty. 

      "Oh, you're so pretty, so clean, so cute, so soft, so sweet, so lovely..." he cooed as he scratched the cats stomach.

     The Bengal wriggled in pleasure for awhile and then playfully trapped his hand between his four feet. He didn't have his teeth or claws drawn so Daniel figured he wasn't irritated from the belly touching. It must be he was just tired of simple pats. All cats had a limit of affection they could handle before they fully woke up and wanted to play around. It came from their genetically passed down instincts from their wild ancestors. 

      "You wanna play?" he suggested. 

      He plucked some longer pieces of grass and stuck it in the cat's face. The cat followed it sharply with his green eyes, his ears perking in excitement, and tail flicking quickly. His nose followed the edge of the blade and then he opened his mouth in a sudden attack. Daniel pulled the grass away before the cat could clamp it in his white, sharp fangs. He chuckled as the cat gave him a grumpy, displeased look. It was like he was telling _Daniel 'Not cool! Give it back! And don't move this time!'_

     Daniel placed it closer to his head again, poking his nose with the edge and then going up his forehead and then poking him in the chin. The Bengal followed the piece of grass with his mouth snapping, trying to capture it. Eventually, a minute later or so, he got a hold of it. He grabbed on to Daniel's finger with his soft, firm front paws, trying to trap the much stronger human from moving away again which he hated. Then, he chomped happily at it until he decided the grass was dead enough. 

      "Ah, you are so cute...I wish I could take you home with me..." he let out a sigh. 

      The cat gave him a curious look and that irresistable head tilt. It was like he was saying _'Then, why don't you?'_ Unfortunately, this cat probably had an owner that loved him and was worried about where he'd run off to in the middle of the night on top of the fact that the dorm didn't allow any pets. If it wasn't for those two factors, he'd probably consider it. 

     "Hey, we're going to play Baskin Robins 31, Dan! Get over here and join! Or I'm going to eat all of your meat!" Sungwoon called, already threatening him with Daniel's plate held hostage and a piece of his precious meat between his chopsticks. 

     "No, not the meat~" He called and jumped up to rescue his beloved food.

_'Bye bye, handsome, kind human~'_ The cat watched the man go with a forlorn, gloomy look. 


	2. Silly Human, Please Take Me Home

 (earlier that day, see events from chapter 1)

 

     Ong Seongwoo followed the sounds of voices--the first he had heard in days--out of the thick, dark woods. He came across a grassy clearing near the river. There were humans with their hair cropped a bit short _(ah, these were males then_ )setting up large plastic boxes full of groceries, paper boxes full of some kinds of cans, and a couple of tents.

     He laid down on the grass to rest his tired, tender paws and observed the fiasco at hand. He thought deeply about what this was called. He had read about it in a library one time when he'd turned into his human form when he was younger and snuck away from his parents into a small bookstore in the town. It was called... Camping? Clamping? Glamping? Something like that.

     Humans left the safety of their warm houses to sleep outside in the cold on the ground for a night or two. Why would they even want to be outdoors though? He had to almost every day of his life and he absolutely abhorred it. 

     After he ran away from his family, though, he'd had it even rougher. Sleeping in trees or on the cold, wet, filthy ground, eating fruits, nuts, bugs and occasional food scraps if he managed to find roads or hiking trails. With his family, at least, they'd had shelters in the form of boxes, cars, or abandoned sheds, plus they'd always had a food reserve. 

     While he was out exploring against his parents' wishes, he had been in a house a few times and he'd tried human food several times. After that, it was difficult to go back to his life as a wild animal. These humans didn't know how lucky they had it.

     They were always warm and clean. They could eat delicious, nutritious, properly cooked food. They could bathe with water and tools, not their freaking tongues--he really hated coughing up hairballs. They had fingers and opposable thumbs so they didn't have to pick up things with their teeth, which for one hurt, and for two was incredibly troublesome and time-consuming.

     He envied human lives so much.

     Since he was young, he'd been curious about the unique way humans lived, but then that curiosity continued to expand when his parents started forbidding him from 'fraternizing' with them and insisted he use his human form only for emergencies and special instances which were only for the good of the family or their species. His parents' strict restrictions and long list of rules suffocated him. But the actual reason he ran away was much more complicated than that....

     Seongwoo's stomach suddenly erupted in a series of noisy grumbles, incited by the appearance of meat. The humans were setting up some black, metal box from which he knew they would cook the meat on. Humans rarely ate anything raw, he had observed from sitting outside restaurants or lingering when families had picnics.

     They loved meat, especially when it was turned dark brown from the flames and put into these flat, green, leafy vegetables called lettuce. They put some other things inside; he knew only that they tasted spicy, sweet, and salty depending on their color, but he didn't know the words for them.

     Ah, the white, thin, long pieces were from an onion. He noticed that food as a tall, black-haired boy chopped the stringy ball up. It wasn't the kind of ball that was fun to play with. One time he'd bit into one, thinking it was a toy. It was so painful when it squirted into his eyes and quite spicy.

     He licked his lips and stared enviously as they prepared their dinner. It looked like a delicious feast right now. It had been a full day since he'd ate anything. He decided to stick around to see if they would be some of those nice humans that gave scraps out at the end of their meal.

     Humans, overall from his experience, preferred dogs over cats. They often pet them, put them on these leather ropes spun around their necks, or sometimes put them in these little carts he thought when he was younger were only supposed to be for babies. Cats, on the contrary, were often thrown out of homes, chased away from stores, and ignored.

     There were some humans on occasion that had fed him food, gave him milk, and patted him before. He really liked when humans patted him. It was so much better than being brushed by a tongue or scratching yourself on a tree branch or box corner. Much more efficient and gentle. Humans' fingers were perfect for getting those difficult spots, especially behind the ears which was an area that always irked him.

      Seongwoo thought about how to distract himself in the meantime as he waited for the humans to finish their meal, which could be a much longer affair than for any animal. He noticed to his horror that his coat had some burs and sap in it. He irritatedly cursed trees for the millionth time in his life. At least if his parents were going to force him to stay in this stupid, useless body, they could have remained in the town, which was much more sanitary. Since they lived in the forest, he had to groom his coat at least five times a day to feel comfortable, and even then he didn't feel that clean.

      He missed the younger days when he'd stayed in the town, living in some crates in an ally. Back then, he was often able to sneak away from his parents and wander the streets in his human form, talking to some people, trying all kinds of yummy food, learning new things about the sparkling world that he wanted so much to be a part of.

     When this and some resulting minor incidents happened more frequently, his parents had moved them into the woods in the middle of the countryside where he hardly ever saw people. It was difficult to sneak away to the town, so he had obediently lived a mundane, repetitive, safe life as they wished in his cat body, which he rather detested.

     Until recently when shape-shifter society and their conservative ideas had proved too much for him to take, forcing him to abandon his family. He loved them and he was a loyal, filial shape-shifter, but he couldn't stand his peers' judgement and those strict, archaic set of rules dictating the rest of his adult life. He wanted to go out and experience real living, fulfilling his unending curiosities.

     Seongwoo didn't know how to get to the city though. He was lost. He needed to hitch a ride or entice some human into taking him in.

     He judged these guys closely. They were fairly clean-cut, attractive, and well-dressed. They didn't seem like locals. He bet they were city folk. Maybe he could sneak in their car when they left and they'd be forced to either take him into their homes or drop him off in the city. He hoped it wasn't the latter.

     He was curious but also scared about being on his own in the city. Before, he had only been by himself a few hours, and even then he'd had incidents like almost being stepped on, nearly run over, chased by dogs and restaurant owners, and his tail tugged on by pesky children.

     Definitely the way to go was to be taken in by a human. But with the nature of his special condition, it needed to be an exceptionally kind human that adored cats and would be too dumb to notice he wasn't your average stray. If there was an accident and his identity got discovered, he needed to find someone he could trust not to throw him out and treat him cruelly, but rather, hopefully, teach him human ways so he could later blend in.

     Like how to use those metal tools they ate with, and how to get that paper they traded to get objects and food. Money and chopsticks, was that what they called it? To get money he needed a...job. Whatever that was. Books had only helped him so much. They couldn't answer his questions. And he had a scroll-like list of them.  

     One of the boys--yellow hair, tall, large body, casual clothes and a cap--approached him and started talking to him in the middle of the meals. He was more attractive and had a sweeter, sincerely kinder smile than any human he'd ever seen. Somehow, he seemed very likeable. His voice was husky, low, warm and very gentle. He liked cats--even if he hadn't said it, Seongwoo could tell. He knew how to handle animals and how to talk soothingly so his wariness and fear of him faded away quickly.

     Within a few minutes of interacting with the boy, Seongwoo was feeling very fond of him. This was exactly the kind of human he was looking for. He purred, practically melting all over the grass under the boy's magical fingertips _. Oh, he really, really knows how to stroke and scratch properly._ Seongwoo had never felt anything that amazing.

     Seongwoo was upset when the yellow-haired boy with magic hands acted like he was going to leave. _Hey, don't go yet~ I want more of these hands!_ After looking at Seongwoo's saddened expression, the boy told the other humans he would be there later. Seongwoo jumped up happily onto his leg, pressing eagerly into his hand for more pets. He wanted those lovely hands on him again right this instant. He shivered and twitched the tip of his tail in pleasure when the boy rubbed his fingers right on that pesky itch he'd been having behind his left ear. He sighed contently, but it couldn't be heard in this body.

     The boy told him he was cute. He loved compliments. Seongwoo knew he was much prettier than your average cat and he was an attractive catch even among his species. It was still a stroke to his ego to hear humans fawn over him, which was why he liked to keep his naturally pretty coat glossy and glistening.

      The boy showered him with compliments and rubbed his tummy, making him wriggle in pleasure and unintelligible giggles. In his human form, his blush and laughter would be obvious. It started to tickle too much, so he grabbed the boy's big hand to stop it. He was careful to keep his claws retracted though. He didn't want this kind, handsome potential owner or future ride to the city to dislike him because he hurt him. 

     The boy then grabbed some grass and started to play with Seongwoo. Playing with long, thin objects was his weakness and he became even more attached to the boy, certain he had to have him as his first owner. It was childish since he was over twenty in shape-shifter years but he still had a lot of energy, immaturity, and mischief compared to other shape-shifters his age. He couldn't help it, no matter how often his parents nagged him to act his age. He simply loved to have a good time and fool around.

     It seemed this boy wasn't any different. These guys were obviously in their twenties too and the others were kind of looking down at the yellow-haired boy like he was childish for playing with a cat rather than drinking that canned stuff--called beer as he overheard--they really liked. Seongwoo pondered what it tasted like. That was something he had not been able to get his hands on in town because for some reason it was banned from younger kids.

_Was it that it was too tasty_ , he wondered _. Why do they all seem happier and sillier after drinking a few cans of it too?_

     The boy said something that made Seongwoo's ears perked up and his heart race. He was thinking about taking Seongwoo home with him. _Yes, please!_

     Seongwoo wished he could speak out loud to him but it wouldn't work in this body. It always came out as merely an unintelligible meow or hiss to humans, though he had heard of instances where some owners could distinguish cries connected to how cats were feeling or what they wanted. He channeled a deep, concentrated thought into his head, hoping that this yellow-haired, handsome boy with his sweet smile, warm voice, and big, gentle hands would be one of those few.

_Then, why don't you? Take me to your cozy, clean home. Take me out of this godforsaken countryside. I can make you happy. I'll be a good house cat, I promise. Take me home,_ he thought, focusing hard on the boy's almond-shaped, brown eyes with the little freckle underneath and the long lashes that rivaled his own.

     The boy's angelic smile widened, making his eyes crinkle up and almost disappear, but there was a sadness there Seongwoo could interpret. There was something stopping him from being able to take in a cat, but he truly wanted to. 

 

 

 

     Soon after, the boy left to Seongwoo's dismay to rejoin the other humans who were acting incredibly silly and noisy now. Seongwoo wondered more and more what was in that yellow, foamy white liquid substance that made them change and just how tasty it was. They goofed around, playing some kind of word game, and then the losers would have to drink a whole can at once. But it didn't seem like a punishment. They seemed to actually enjoy drinking it.

     Seongwoo waited for one of those intriguing cans to get knocked or spill over. Then, when it happened several minutes later, he slunk over and licked some off the table as it dripped down. _Yuck!_  It was super bitter and had a sour aftertaste. It certainly wasn't to his taste. Then, he spotted a piece of brown, cut up meat dangling from the edge of a plastic plate. _Oh, it's meat! The Holy Grain_! The brown succulent morsel was enticing him like a siren. His stomach growled and he licked his lips.

    He glanced over at the group of inebriated humans cautiously. The tall, dark-haired one was doing some butt-wiggling, weird dance, and they were all heeing and hawing like donkeys because of it. All their eyes were in another direction, so here was his chance to ease his angry stomach. Without any further hesitation, he jumped up on his hind legs and batted the meat with his paw.

     He was just about to knock it over to the ground when the human next to him sensed the movement and turned his head in that direction. Seongwoo recognized the yellow-hair, handsome face, and sweet smile. The kind boy from earlier had suddenly spotted him.

     "Oh, it's you again, kitty~" he seemed to sing with delight.

      Seongwoo ducked down under the table, prepared to run if the humans got angry and chased him away like they usually did when they spotted animals near food. _I come in peace, don't hurt me!_

     "Ah, it's okay. I'm not angry. Here, you want some food, right? I bet you're hungry from wondering the forest."

     The boy put the plate down and offered the piece of meat Seongwoo had been craving for between two long, pale fingers. Seongwoo meowed his thanks at his kindness. _Thank you, thank you, thank you, oh you sweet, handsome human with a heart of gold, I'm forever indebted to you._ Normally, he wouldn't say something so lame like that, but the dire situation of hunger was getting to him, making his on-the-border-arrogant confidence and pride fade to nothing. He chomped down the meat greedily.

     "You sure are polite though. Most wild animals come over and beg or just steal. You must have an owner that trained you in table manners, huh? Lucky guy...If only you didn't have an owner, I'd be tempted to take you home..." the boy muttered, watching him with an affectionate grin.

     Seongwoo meowed insistently, hoping this dumb boy would somehow read his mind. _I don't have an owner! I'm a free cat! I'm a stray! Take me home, be my owner please~_

     The boy cocked his head with a curious expression, deep in thought. He seemed aware that Seongwoo was trying to say something but unsure exactly what it was. Seongwoo slumped down on the ground partly from frustration at not being able to properly communicate in this useless body and partly from being positively stuffed after eating half of a steak.

     "Maybe I can't take you home, but at least I can cuddle you for one night, hmm? I feel bad for making you be my cats' replacement. Don't tell them I said so, but honesty you're prettier than they are."

_Of course I am, I'm more special than some boring, ugly house cat~!_  he meowed with pride.

     Seongwoo purred and grinned smugly as he was picked up and held like a baby. The boy knew exactly what he was doing. Seongwoo didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable--often, people were too rough or awkward so he couldn't stand being held for more than a few seconds. He could feel the boy's steady heart beat under his little paw which somehow calmed him despite the noise of the rowdy bunch being both distracting and startling. His pointy, sensitive ears twitched between the boy's husky, alluring voice and the painful clamour from the dancing, laughing, and wrestling group. He looked over to see they were cheering and laughing like crazy as two dark-haired boys--one with cheeks that reminded him of the human street-food snack mandu and another that was taller and looked like some kind of emperor cartoon drawing he'd seen in a child history book before.

     Mandu and Emperor had their lips pressed together. He learned from the boy's surprised exclamation as he curiously glanced that way that they were 'kissing.' _Hmm, is it that big of a deal? Cats do it all the time as a sign of affection or greeting._

     The boy appeared envious as he gazed at them for a few silent moments, and Seongwoo wondered if humans liked that. Maybe it meant something different to their species than his. He climbed up the boy's chest and bumped his mouth against the boy's squishy pink lips. He was eager to please the boy. Anything to get out of this godforsaken place.

      The boy moved back in surprise, letting out a soft gasp. Then, he looked down at Seongwoo and smiled wide, making his pretty eyes scrunch up. "Were you envious of those guys and wanting kisses too? Here cutie~"

      He pulled Seongwoo up closer in his arms and pressed his soft, pouty lips with a little smacking sound right on his nose. Seongwoo smiled and giggled, liking this play. He put his paw over the boy's lips and then rubbed his nose affectionately in the middle.

_Do you like this, handsome yet silly human? Are you happy now? If I do this, will you take me home? I will do it however long you want._

     "Wah, you're so noisy and sweet all of a sudden. Stop tempting me, pretty kitty. I may just steal you away and get myself in big trouble with my roommate."

     Seongwoo meowed some more and patted his cheek with his paw and nose firmly. _Please do! That's what I've been asking for all night! Come on, get with the program already~!_

     They were distracted by another blond human who wasn't nearly as attractive or tall as the boy Seongwoo was fond of. He didn't look at the shape-shifter with near as much kindness either.

     "Daniel~ Still playing with that diseased stray? You don't know where he's been. What if you get rabies?" Cat Hater scolded, looking at Seongwoo with slight fear and disgust.

     Seongwoo hissed at him. The boy _(who is called Daniel, what a lovely sounding word it is, for such a lovely human)_ shh-ed him and stroked him gently, putting him immediately at ease even beyond his own will.

_What is he, a cat whisperer? I will feel angry if I want to be_ , thought with an unheard huff and glared at the Cat Hater.

     "He's obviously clean, tame, and well-fed. He can't be a diseased stray, no way. I think he has an owner but he got lost somehow. I wish I could stay awhile and help him find his home. He's so sweet and smart. I think the owner must really be missing him. People should be more responsive. I would never let such an amazing animal just wander off without my supervision."

     "It's a cat, for Christ's sake, Daniel. Not a missing child. They are good at fending for themselves and they wander off all the time. Don't worry about him."

     "Hmm if you say so..."

     Daniel looked down at Seongwoo worriedly. Seongwoo looked up at him in return with teary, hopeful eyes, hoping a little bit of acting would finally convince the boy to take responsibility for him since he was clearly concerned about his well-being. They continued to discuss about something Seongwoo wasn't paying much attention to as he suddenly felt a cowlick rising up on his back. 

     "Well, at least I think I will have him sleep in my tent. It's chilly and dangerous outside. Some animal could attack him. He doesn't look like much of a fighter..."

     Seongwoo paused in the middle of cleaning his coat with his tongue to give Daniel a squinted look of displeasure. _Hey, what do you mean by that? I'm big and strong! I can fight._

     "Oh, my apologies. Did I offend your manly pride? Sorry, I just figured since you're so pretty and clean...." Daniel apologized, and then chuckled as Seongwoo made his argument more obvious by stretching out his long, sharp claws right in front of the boy's nose to lick between his toes. "Okay, I got it. Don't use those suckers on me!"

      His claws were more lethal than your average house cat, he was certain, and if he needed to, he could defend himself well. Although usually, that was one of the instances shape-shifters usually turned to their human form since it was bigger and more intimidating. 

_Woo, what's this thing? And what's this for? Hmm, what's this funny smell?_

     Seongwoo excitedly bounded about, exploring everything inside the tent, including the sleeping bag and the contents of Daniel's bag as he emptied it. He had bottom-less curiousity about human objects. There was a plastic, poky object that was perfect for scratching. He recalled from seeing some females on a bus one time that it was used to comb human's hair. It was called a...hair bush? Hair rosh? Something like that, he couldn't recall.

     He tasted some creamy, white liquid from a little plastic bottle after Daniel patted it onto his face with his hands. It tasted gross, but smelled good, kind of like roses. But he knew what a rose tasted like. This tasted more like medicine. He stuck out his tongue, coughing and spitting out the fowl substance.

     Daniel laughed and patted his bottom in comfort. "You goof! That's not milk. I have some in here, but it's banana. Not sure if you will like it."

     He took out a pale yellow, plastic carton shaped like a mini barrel. He drank half of it and Seongwoo gulped with thirst, watching his protruding adam's apple bob up and down his neck. He was envious of humans with their lips and big mouths. He could drink much faster than Seongwoo, who was forced to lap liquid up with the tiny dip in his tongue. When he was freaking de-hydrated like the present, it was infuriating because it took an excruciatingly long time.

      Seongwoo snorted and thumped his tail on the sleeping bag in frustration because he couldn't switch to his human form. It would be too risky. He could lose his chance to hitch a ride to the city and he doubted the boy was ready for that kind of supernatural shock, as kind, sweet, and considerate as he seemed to be.

     Daniel put the drink down to Seongwoo's level and tipped the bottle so the yellow liquid was pooled at the edge of the bottle. He held it carefully still. Seongwoo smelled it curiously, then he twisted his tongue inside to try it out. Hmm, it had a sweet, light taste. It was like milk but a foreign, sweeter taste he really liked.

     Ah, so this is banana. He had never had one of those fruits. He had only seen them and heard of the flavor which was especially popular among children. He thought again that this boy must be considered quite immature for his age, just like himself.

      Seongwoo found himself wondering what it would be like if they could ever actually talk man-to-man. He had a feeling they'd be fast friends and they could childishly play around with each other. After converting their ages, he knew they were roughly the same age(early twenties). Their personalities seemed similar too.

_Yup, I have to have this human. No other person is worthy of being the amazing Ong Seongwoo's owner,_ he thought with determination. He was going to get this boy to keep him somehow or another.

     Daniel held the bottle until Seongwoo licked up most of it, and then put the few remaining drops into the palm of his hand. To Seongwoo's surprise, he didn't seem to find it dirty being licked like most people did.

     "Shall we sleep, buddy? You look tired," Daniel suggested.

     Seongwoo had indeed started yawning and feeling drowsy. The boy climbed under the sleeping bag. Seongwoo settled down where the boy put him right on his stomach. Daniel patted his back, staring up at the ceiling where a partition was opened so you could see the stars. Seongwoo contently watched the boy who seemed lost in thought while gazing up at twinkling night sky.

     "The sky sure is beautiful in the countryside..." He said out loud. 

     Seongwoo liked that Daniel talked to himself, or to him. He liked the sound of his sweet, soothing, husky voice and the accent that was slightly different from other humans he had heard. It was somehow much more pleasing, dynamic, and made his ears tingle.

     The boy's mumbling nonsense became a lullaby and Seongwoo's steady heartbeat and the boy's gently patting hand the perfect accompaniment that lulled him off to his first peaceful sleep in days. Seongwoo felt so safe and content with Daniel, and he wasn't ready to give that up easily. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello~ Welcome to chapter 2 of Pawprints. Thank you for reading up to hear and checking it out. If you want to read more, there are more chapters available on AFF. Find me at heartykeykeke.
> 
> I kind of decided to have Seongwoo liking Daniel right away(as much as one can like an alien when they hardly know anything about him at least). Daniel likes him too, but obviously not like in some kind of creepy, romantic way yet, not while he's a cat. Daniel is just fond of him and thinks he's really special and cute. I really enjoyed writing from a cat's point of view, especially the idea of Ong Seongwoo. I want his personality to be sweet, affectionate, kind of arrogant, playful, witty, sassy in a funny way, and way too curious and mischievous for his own good. I also wanted to be comical by showing the ways that having a cat body would be frustrating and why Seongwoo detests it. I hope that comes across. 
> 
> With this story, I wanted to kind of touch on how amazing I find cats and how Korean people seem to be really biased in a negative way. Many people here mistreat cats and hate them. So, there's a ton of stray cats in this country. Where I'm from, America, many people have both cats and dogs in their house for different reasons. I personally love cats a lot. I think they are really smart, pretty, clean, usually quiet, playful, independent, and intelligent. Cats deffinitely get the short end of the stick from humans. I hope there's some cat lovers here~ 
> 
> There will be more of Seongwoo's own thoughts later. His backstory as well. I brushed a bit on his past and family life and some issues that caused him to run away but I'm going to reveal more little by little over the course of this story. I can tell you that Daniel and Seongwoo both have similar issues that they're dealing with in totally opposite ways(but Dan's issue you will learn about next chapter). If you're wondering who was kissing, it was Jaehwan and Minhyun(they're one of the other couples that will show up here and there in this story but from Ongniel's eyes of course). There will be some mentions of Wanna One related things in here, such as the Jisung clap or Minhyun's ajussi dance, so try to catch on to that as you read~ I hope you can guess what objects that Seongwoo is thinking of but doesn't know the name for(if you can't it's okay, I hope you will just use your imagination). I enjoy writing Seongwoo as this foreigner/baby that's learning about the world and various words as he goes along and making all these adorable mistakes only we know about for now. Later, Daniel will teach and correct him so he blends in, but that's much later, something to look forward to because I have tons of cute Ariel the Little Mermaid inspired moments in my mind for that.
> 
> Things you learned about Ong Seongwoo: he hates his cat body, he loves his human body, he is envious of humans especially for their food, beds, and opposable thumbs, he wants to learn how to live as a human, he hates hairballs, he's obsessed with being clean, he likes banana flavored milk, he's very curious and adventurous, he likes human objects, he likes reading books to learn about humans, he tastes before he thinks, he likes to play, he likes the back of his ears scratched, he loves being petted, he ran away partially to escape his parent's strict rules and restrictions, his parents didn't approve of him using his human form often, he had some unpleasant incidences in town as a cat, he's very proud and doesn't like his manliness doubted, he likes kissing Daniel, he hates Sungwoon, he thinks Daniel is the most handsome human ever. 
> 
> This story will not have anything too deep, complicated, or extremely angsty(little bit angsty and dramatic but promise no breaking up or character death). It's just pure fun, cuteness, and nonsense fluff. I hope you are enjoying so far. Let me know how was Ong's POV. 
> 
> Tootles~
> 
> -Raina <3


	3. We Got a Stow-Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel finds some extra fluff he hadn't intended to put in their trunk but it's too late to bring the furball back to the woods. What will he do with Seongwoo?

 

      "Got it all packed up? Where's Jaehwan?" Sungwoon asked, helping Jisung pack the last of the things and close the door.

     "Ah, not so loud..." Jisung whined while nursing his head.

     "Sorry, is it that bad?" Sungwoon whispered in concern, patting the back of Jisung's head. Jisung nodded and rubbed his temples. "Let's get you some medicine on the way. Hang in there just a bit."

     Kai and Xiumin were already in the van. Jonghyun was sitting patiently in the driver's seat with Minhyun's front seat spot left open. Only Jaehwan's and Daniel's whereabouts were a mystery. Daniel was out looking for the cat from yesterday to say goodbye. The cat had taken off when he opened the tent door this morning to his dismay. Apparently, he had grown fond of the animal, so he wanted to say goodbye and leave him some leftover food and water, worried he would be starving. Jaehwan was literally missing as well somehow, though everything was packed up so there was no where to hide. Minhyun searched all over for him by the river and the edge of the forest in annoyance.

     "Jaehwan, let's go! Where the hell are you? Daniel, enough already! Just leave out the food around where we found him. He will come back and see it later! We've got classes tomorrow and I don't want to be stuck in traffic all day!" he shouted.

     Daniel came back to the van pouting, glancing frequently over his shoulder. Where had that pretty cat gone? He hoped he could figure out how to get back to his owner before the cold night came again or he got too hungry.

     Jaehwan came out ten minutes later from some random hike he took in the trails, saying he wanted to 'commune with the spirits of nature.' They were finding out more and more that he was an incredible wierdo. As they traveled down the highway back to Seoul, 'No-nunchi' Jaehwan annoyed them further by singing and playing his guitar while others tried to sleep or suffered from a hangover headache.

     Minhyun was by far the most irritated. Especially, when that foggy memory came back of Jaehwan drunkenly kissing him while they were in the middle of playing Truth or Dare. Jisung had instructed Jaehwan to kiss him on the cheek but he apparently hadn't heard(or was it that he chose not to hear)the last part. He had charged at Minhyun with his fish lips out, not giving the older a second of warning to dodge.

     What was most irksome thing though was Minhyun had impulsively kissed back and just slightly recalled liking it. He didn't care so much about a kiss with a guy. He had experimented before. He doubted there were guys in their twenties that hadn't. With the major freak, slob, always singing Jaehwan though? Ew, disgusting, unthinkable, horrific, a total disgrace! He had gargled last night and this morning several times with extra strong mouthwash, but he still felt dirty and could recall the feel of Jaehwan's lips and tongue.

      "Jaehwan, I swear to God if you don't shut up in ten seconds, I'm going to toss your guitar out the window and maybe you too!" Minhyun shouted.

     Jaehwan actually listened this time. He put down his guitar and stared out the window with an epic pout. Minhyun would feel bad, if only the pout hadn't brought his attention to those stupid, strangely luscious looking lips...

     "Hey Jisung, you okay? Lean on me." Sungwoon suggested, bringing the moaning boy's head down on his shoulder.

     On top of a hangover, Jisung looked like he was suffering double from car sickness from the turning, stopping, and going on the freeway the last hour. Daniel looked out the window, feeling not only gloomy at losing the cat but also now at the sight of the cuddlers. 

     Those intelligent, expressive eyes that seemed aware of everything around him and could see deep into his soul haunted Daniel. He'd met a lot of animals, but not one like that. He almost seemed human with a distinctive personality and the ability to communicate with humans. Plus, he had been so pretty, cute, funny and loveable. He had made smiles and laughter come out of Daniel a lot that day and Daniel became easily attached to things that made him happy like that. He had a tendency to slip into depressing, negative thoughts if he was alone with nothing to stimulate him like hobby or a fun person to talk to.

      He had been fighting a dark side inside of him for ages, ever since he was bullied as a kid for being different. He had once confessed to a guy, before he'd known better that he wasn't supposed to do that. People had called him gay, ugly, a freak, disgusting, etcetera. All kinds of names. He had switched schools to get away from the bullies, but after that, he had never admitted he liked guys, not even to his parents. He had cruely learned that this country didn't take that kindly.

     Because of this, he was envious of what Jisung had with Sungwoon. No one had admitted it out loud yet, but it was obvious to him(they were roommates and sometimes Sungwoon came over).  Sungwoon and Jisung were likely dating or in the courting phase. They had shared a tent as well last night and now they seemed even closer. He wanted out of his funk as loneliness and envy took him over. He knew about Jaehwan too. Jaehwan had a one-sided crush on Minhyun. He felt depressed being surrounded by people that were comfortable with their preferences and openly liked someone. He would probably never have that because he was scared to admit his orientation to anyone, even guys he had found attractive in the past.

     He sighed, and then realized his stomach was grumbling as depressed thoughts often left him. "Kai, can you grab the snacks and water from the back?"

     "How are you possibly hungry? You had two packets of ramen and an entire liter of coke this morning!" Xiumin joked, the skinny, health-guru looking like the number of calories Daniel consumed was offensive.

     Daniel grinned sheepishly and flushed, brushing underneath his eyebrow in shame.

     "Daniel's always like that. Don't tease him. It's a good thing for a growing boy to eat well. Leave him..." Jisung murmured in his defense.

     Daniel grinned, patting the boy's shoulder in front of him. Jisung often had his back like that. He was proving to be an awesome roommate. 

     "Uh, guys...it appears we have a stow-away..."

     Kai pulled out a large brown cat with black cheetah like spots and lime-green eyes. The cat was growling and looking at them with clear terror and guilt, his tail burried between his legs in a sign of fear.

     "Oh, pretty kitty!" Daniel exclaimed, his entire face lighting up like Christmas was here. 

     'Thank god, save me,' the cat seemed to be saying as it looked at him with recognition. Daniel climbed over the seat and gently took the cat with one hand under its front legs, cupping its back legs in his other. The cat sat on Daniel's arm and wrapped his paws around Daniel's neck almost like it was giving him a hug. He shyly buried his head in the crook of Daniel's neck, shivering with fear. He didn't seem to easily warm up to humans. Maybe they figured he could sense who was an animal lover and who was just indifferent.

     "It seems he's really taken a liking to you."

     "I guess he doesn't have an owner anymore then. He's chosen you as his new one."

     The other boys in the car curiously patted him, commenting on how big and soft he was. Daniel explained he was only about 70% of the size he would get when he was a full adult. Their eyes went wide, one saying that he was a special, rare breed and Daniel could sell him online for a fortune. The cat growled and hissed at the person who had said that, which was cat hater Sungwoon.

     "Woah it's like he understands us. Scary..."

     "Not as scary as you for suggesting we do that to the poor thing!" Minhyun scolding, reaching over to swat the blond's leg.

     "I want to keep him. What happens if I get caught with a pet?" Daniel asked. 

     Kai shrugged. "Don't know, something not good. Probably have to pay a fine."

    "But he seems really quiet and behaved..." Jonghyun said, having been silently observing them through the rear-view mirror.

     Minhyun, Jonghyun's best friend for several years now, finished his thought. "I think if you snuck him into your room, no-one would know. It's not like anyone can come break in our rooms to check if we have something illegal. You could keep him if your roommate agrees. Seems you like each other well-enough, so it would be a shame to send him elsewhere."

     Daniel and Seongwoo together turned wide, hopeful eyes on Jisung who was still leaning on Sungwoon and looking rather ill and out of it. He merely waved his hand like he couldn't care less or didn't have time for this. Jisung hadn't seemed interested in the cat at all. Daniel hoped that he wasn't a cat hater like his lover. It would be hard for them to stay friends then since he was avid on the point of being obsessed, and proud of it.

     "Sure, keep him. Just make sure he's potty trained and doesn't meow late at night. I need beauty rest or my skin will certainly rot."

     Daniel turned to the cat with a huge, delighted grin, looking more than ever like a child. The cat seemed happy too, like he understood clearly everything that was going on. His breed must be an incredibly intelligent kind, Daniel thought. The cat pressed his paw on Daniel's face as if he was extremely excited. He seemed to be saying _'yay, I made it happen, I knew you would keep me, I'm irresistible_.' Daniel laughed and then hugged the cute animal, careful to adjust his strength so as not to painfully squish him. The cat seemed to like the affection, as he'd started purring.

     After that, the cat curled up in Daniel's lap, curiously gazing out the windows at the passing cars and trees. Seeing as he wasn't shaking, he probably had been in a car before. He seemed completely calm. Daniel lazily stroked the soft fur of his back, occasionally scratching his ears. Whenever he touched behind his ears, the cat's green eyes half-closed and his tail twitched in happiness. He figured that must be the cat's weak spot and made a note of it.

 

 

 

     Once they got to the campus, they parked the car and then discussed how to sneak the cat inside. They didn't have any box or carrier. They decided to put the cat in a large duffel bag with the zipper open just enough for him to breathe.  Daniel planned to talk to him before putting him inside the bag, hoping to calm the cat who was now exploring the car and excitedly looking out the window, occasionally sticking his paw out through the cracks at the bottom to swipe at a bug(or maybe just to feel the wind, Daniel wasn't sure.) He seemed extremely enthusiastic and curious about everything in the new surroundings. Daniel even swore that he was gazing longingly at these students on skateboards and bicycles as if he wanted to try it himself if only he had human limbs.

     "Come here, pretty boy~" Daniel called, clicking his tongue. Maybe he should just make that his name since it really suited the cat, he considered.

     The cat obediently perked up at the sound of his voice and looked back at him. Daniel snapped his fingers and patted his lap. The cat obediently bounded gracefully away from the window and over the others legs, landing gently on his lap. He sat down and looked at Daniel alertly, like a soldier reporting to his captain for duty. The others giggled, watching their interaction with interest.

     "Now, kitty, listen up! You can stay with me. But the issue is, if we get caught on the way to the dorm, we're both in deep shit. So, how do we sneak in undetected? Here's the deal. I'm going to put you in this bag and zip it up just enough so you can breath. I need you to be totally quiet and not move until I open it. No panicking. It's going to be noisy and scary for you, I know. But I need you to hold any meows or hisses in for a few minutes until we're in the room. Then, I will let you out of the bag and you can do anything you want. You can think of it like an espionage mission. Is that a deal, pretty boy?"

     The cat literally nodded and plopped his paw into the palm of Daniel's open hand. Daniel smiled slightly and closed his hand around the tiny, fuzzy paw. They shook on it and then the Bengal silently curled up inside the duffle bag without a sound.

     "Oh, my god!"

     "What just happened?"

     "He understood!"

     "Daniel, do you speak cat?"

     The others murmured with mouths dropped in utter shock. Daniel smiled proudly and patted the pretty Bengal cat that gazed up at him as if to say _'I'm a genius right, I'm the coolest cat these losers have ever seen_.'

     "He's pretty neat, right? I have never met a cat so smart," he bragged fondly, scratching the cat's fur.

     Daniel kept his hand on the outside of the bag as he walked across campus, feeling the cat's side at all times. He was occasionally shivering and adjusting his position, so Daniel stroked him the best he could through the fabric, trying to comfort him and put him at ease. Daniel whispered words of praise and encouragement frequently. He carefully avoided jostling the bag or bumping into someone. It was quite a long journey.

     Eventually, they got to the room. Noone had suspected a thing since the cat remained silent. Jisung put down his things and then laid down on his bed to rest. He was still feeling unwell. He watched as Daniel carefully set down the bag and opened it.  

     "Good boy. You didn't make a peep, so we were able to get through our mission successfully. You're awesome. Welcome to your new home~" he called to the cat gently. 

     The pretty Bengal cat however was frozen inside the bag, peeking from the folds with fear, his green eyes darting at the overload of foreign objects, most he didn't have a word for in his limited human word vocabulary.

     "He's terrified. Aw, poor thing~" Jisung commented with pity dripping in his tone. "It's been a lot for him to take. You should let him rest."

     Daniel ignored his advice, though he was relieved to hear Jisung finally show some interest, and tried to coax the cat out at first. When the cat didn't come out, he decided to use the tough love approach. He grabbed him around the stomach and tugged him out. The cat growled in warning but Daniel didn't take notice. He thought the cat would grow used to his surroundings quicker if he got out and started exploring, but he didn't know that the bag was now his comfort zone and he wanted to come out on his own. It was too much stimulation he wasn't ready for. Daniel shouted as the cat bit his hand and took off under the bed. Daniel cursed and brought his hand to his mouth.

     "Told you to leave him alone. He needs to find the will to explore on his own. He will get used to it on his own time. Just let him be," Jisung said with a smug tone like he was the real cat expert here, then closed his eyes to sleep, clearly planning to ignore them from then on.

     Daniel didn't have the heart to leave the cat alone though. He hated to see the sweet, adventurous, playful animal suddenly cowering in fear and unease under the back of the bed, only his widened, flickering green eyes shining in the shadows. He was going to convince the pretty cat to come out somehow.

     Daniel got up and searched through the plastic bag of goodies he had bought at the rest-stop supermarket an hour before. He set out the food and water dishes, the litter box, cans of tuna and chicken, and some cheap cat toys. Then he laid down by the bed, presenting the items as a peace offering one by one, hoping the cat would waver for one of them. Several minutes later, Daniel was exasperated because the cat wouldn't budge from under the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short, I know~ There's a reason I'm cutting the chapters like this. I am just showing little moments at a time and switching between Ong and Daniel's POV's each time. I think for now Daniel's POV is going to be a bit shorter than Ong's POV. Hope you don't mind so much. After Ong gets discovered in his human form, then I assume Daniel's chapters will eventually start getting longer than Ong's because he will have had his mind blown. There wasn't much happening in this chapter sorry. It's mostly just for plot purproses showing how Ong ended up in Daniel's dorm. The next one will be more enjoyable! Covering Ong and Daniel's first 24 hours in a dorm room with lots more Daniel X cat!Ong fluff ^^ I hope you guys are enjoying. If you have time time, let me know what you think~
> 
> Things you learned about Daniel today: Daniel had to transfer schools when he was younger, he was bullied, he likes guys, he's confessed to a boy before and it turned out terribly, he's envious of Jisung X Sungwoon, he wishes that he could be open about his preferences and he wants someone/something special, he can speak cat, he is really fond of and attached to Ong cat already, he eats a ton of food most of which is junk.
> 
> Things you learned about other characters: Jaehwan likes Minhyun, Minhyun hates Jaehwan, Minhyun X Jaehwan had a steamy kiss, Sungwoon X Jisung are an item, Minhyun is like the groups daddy, Sungwoon hates cats and he can be a bit insensitive, Jongyun and Minhyun are best friends, Xiumin is a health nut, Jaehwan is a freaking annoying wierdo, Ong is a sneaky, stealthy little ninja, Ong listens to Daniel really well and enjoys car rides, Ong wants to ride a bike or skateboard, Jisung doesn't actually hate cats he's just been feeling too ill to care much. 
> 
> As always, if you don't want to wait for updates in the future which will be slow-going, you can find me and this story on AFF.


	4. The Human World is So Peculiar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cat!Ong turns into shifter!Ong in his human form for the first time. He takes an adventure around Daniel's room.

 Seongwoo had a swarm of emotions swirling through his little heaving, trembling body. He was anxious, terrified, guilty, lonely, sad, worried, and overwhelmed. He wanted to come out because he knew that's what Daniel wanted, yet he couldn't find the courage to face the peculiar surroundings.

     He wanted desperately to lick the wound he had created in his sense of instinctive panic and make up with the boy who was probably extremely angry at him. Yet he wasn't ready to face this new world. He had never been in a noisy, messy place like this with its crowds of people. The sounds and sights were overwhelming. He didn't know what they were or how to take them in at once.

     Everything seemed like a threat even after he entered the small room. There were mountains of wrappers, wires, books, tools, and colorful fabric piles he couldn't identify. It was like a jungle of the unknown and he felt totally defenseless and unprepared to face any dangers that could be lurking out there.

      Daniel tried to coax him with  a can of tuna and a bowl of milk, then some store bought toys, and then some old shoelaces. Seongwoo batted at the shoelaces when they were right in front of him, but he wouldn't give into the human's transparent little trick which meant to lure him out slowly. He captured the plastic covered end in his nails and stubbornly refused to let it go. Daniel clicked his tongue and called to him soothingly in encouragement for many minutes, but eventually the boy gave up and let the makeshift toy stay in the bed monster's snare.

     Then Daniel laid on the floor, looking at some medium-sized handheld device Seongwoo had never seen before. When he slid his finger up, the bright colored images moved. Daniel was reading something like a book but Seongwoo didn't understand how all those papers could possibly be stuck in some super thin box like that. There seemed to be no end, but he knew books were heavy and thick. It didn't make any sense that that many books could fit in that skinny thing!

     Seongwoo crawled a few inches closer every ten minutes or so as the boy laid there, moving his finger, causing these pictures of people, buildings, cars, swords and guns to fly through the glass-like surface. His eyes followed it and then he got enraptured by the moving black letters. They reminded him of little bugs. He could read some words but wasn't much interested in the contents for once. He crawled the rest of the way out, pouncing on one of those bug-like moving letters in a white box.

     "Hey, you finally came out, huh? Well, this isn't a toy, buddy. You're going to scratch it!" Daniel said sharply swatting away the paw that kept touching the screen.

     Seongwoo's ears flattened and he slinked back towards the cover of the bed at the scolding. He hadn't heard Daniel talk like that to him ever.

     Shoot, he hates me because I bit him and was disobedient. I'm a bad cat. He's going to throw me out into the jungle to be run over by all those wheeled contraptions and feet. My dream of having a new life is done for, soon I will have no life at all~

     Daniel put the metal and glass covered box thingy up on the bed and smiled sweetly, his voice returning to that familiar, sweet, coaxing, gentle tone Seongwoo loved immensely. He appeared to be listening to Seongwoo's whines and soft mews, thinking about how to interpret their meaning.

     "Sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you. Maybe your owner let you play with his tablet. Come back out. I'm not angry, you didn't do any harm. Here, I've got dinner and water for you. You must be thirsty or hungry. You've been under there for hours."

      Seongwoo slinked back out from the bed, his tail burried between his legs and his ears flattened being cautions of monsters leaping out or of Daniel's further anger. In either case, he would need to run for safety as quickly as possible. Seongwoo's stomach started grumbling and he realized the handsome, kind boy was right. He was starving. Daniel stroked along his back and then scratched his bum by his tail and behind his ears with the usual expertise as he ate. Like being rained down on, the magic, apologetic fingers washed his anxiety and fear was away.

      After he was sufficiently full, Seongwoo was brimming with newfound courage, like that one guy he read about, the spinach eating sailor guy, Pop-eyes. He was willing to face the scary mess laid about the room. Daniel followed him as he sniffed about, curiously tapping dangerous looking objects with a paw, tensed and glaring at them in case they jumped up in attack mode. He had his claws ready too, but he was careful not to poke holes in the things. He didn't want to give reason for to Daniel scold him again. That had made him feel terrible. He'd rather cough up a hundred hairballs.

     Seongwoo approached the other bed and found a pale hand dangling in the air. He stood up on his hind legs and sniffed the fingers. The hand belonged to the boy called Jisung who lived with Daniel(didn't that mean he was Daniel's mate, but didn't humans live with boys and girls though). Well, he must have put on some strawberry hand cream. Seongwoo curiously licked the skin, but it didn't taste at all like the sweet smell it had. He shook his head violently and licked his paw to get the taste away as quick as possible. At least that tasted like the delicious tuna.

    Daniel snickered as he had been doing repeatedly as he oversaw Seongwoo's slow, tedious exploration. "I think you've pretty much sniffed, licked, and pawed everything. Why don't you rest?"

     Seongwoo ignored him. He looked around the small room, searching for anything he hadn't tested the safety of on the first floor. He trotted around, sniffing and tapping his paws on everything one more time just for good measure. Feeling satisfied with his inspection for one day, he sat in the middle of the floor to rest.

     His ears perked up towards the other human who turned over and grumbled in his sleep. He looked at the clock and tipped his head. It was so late already. He wondered why Daniel wasn't sleeping. Humans always had some schedule in the morning, so they often slept before the clock said twelve, but now it was one in the morning and Daniel hadn't shut off the lights.

     He guessed Daniel wasn't able to sleep because he was making noise and distracting him by wandering around, poking at his things. He quickly rushed through his nightly bathing routine, licking at super speed over his back, tail, and paws. Daniel went to the bathroom and he heard the sound of water. Daniel was bathing too, the human way.

     Seongwoo was curious about what was in that room and how the water came out from those wierd metal tubes but he was a bit scared of water in this form since it didn't feel so pleasant, especially when cold, and afterwords his fur looked scraggly to the point he resembled a rat. He didn't want Daniel to see him ugly. So, for tonight he passed on exploring there.

     The boy came out with barely any clothes on and Seongwoo watched curiously as he dried off his hair with an oddly tiny wind machine that made a frightening racket. He thought Daniel's body looked somehow different than other humans he had seen. His shoulders and legs were really longer than they proportionally should be and his lower stomach was shaped into these hard-looking bumps that reminded him of those bars of brown sweet food children liked a lot in the town called choco...latte? Choco...la... Something. He had ate one before but it was too sweet.

     If I licked Daniel there, would it taste sweet like that food too?

    "What are you meowing about, buddy? Are you feeling scared still?" Daniel murmured, looking over at him with concern. 

     Seongwoo was soon picked up by the yellow-haired, always smiling handsome boy with that freckled eye and plump lips. Without wearing any sleeping clothes, he crawled under the blanket and put Seongwoo under. Daniel tucked the blanket around him too, leaving his head uncovered, the blanket only covering up to the boy's under arms. Then Daniel laid on his side, looking down at Seongwoo with that silly, sweet smile.

     You're thinking I'm cute. You've totally fallen for me right? He thought as he gazed and smiled contently back. Well, you're pretty cute yourself, for a human.

     "Meow, meow to you too. Now, that's enough chatting for tonight. It's late and you might wake Jisung up," Daniel put a finger to both of their lips in a shh motion.

     Seongwoo affectionately brushed his face against the boy's hand and licked the healing, reddened holes he'd stupidly inflicted. Daniel gave him a forgiving, breezy smile like he'd forgotten all about the incident. He was a saint.

     "Sleep tight, pretty boy. If it's too hot, just go on top of the blankets. If you want to explore some more, it's okay but try not to make a racket and stay off the desks. You could knock something down and get squished. I would hate to see you hurt and I haven't researched where the vets are yet. Be careful when I'm gone tomorrow, please?"

     He caringly held Seongwoo's head in his palm, his large thumb brushing back his whiskers. Seongwoo loved the way Daniel touched him with so much care and love. He knew if he was in his human form, Daniel could tell he was giggling, smiling shyly, and blushing, but in his cat form his range of expressions were extremely limited. He huffed in slight disappointment that he couldn't yet reveal his other self(that felt more like his true self).

     It had been ages since he transformed and he missed the feeling. Out of fear of being scolded from his family and then of being thought of as a naked creep wandering the woods, he had spent several months hiding his human form. He only allowed himself to transform when his parents sent him out to steal or trade for some food and living supplies a couple of times a year. That was always his favorite day and he'd stay out for several hours longer than his parents permitted, risking their lectures and scratching form of beating to play around and talk to humans.

     He loved talking and joking with people. Especially, he liked the sound of his own human voice. It was really airy, a bit high-pitched, and smooth. He didn't mean to brag but his voice, especially when he was singing, had a very pleasant, unique tone. He wished he could let Daniel hear it. Not these pathetic mews that he felt he could only express a few emotions and thoughts with.

     Though, Daniel to his defense did seem intuitive about catching a large part of what Seongwoo meant through eye contact and subtle body language. He really seemed to get cats, though he seemed slightly dumb in other senses from what Seongwoo had heard and observed in the car. Daniel was slow to catch on to jokes, wasn't very common sense knowledgeable, and he was often prone to moments of clumsiness which resulted in hurting himself. Somehow these faults seemed cute on him though. It certainly didn't make Seongwoo like him any less. 

     Daniel kissed the crown of Seongwoo's head and playfully chomped his ear. Seongwoo batted his chin in revenge and jokingly glared at him, holding back an amused giggle. Daniel snickered and rubbed his hand over the back of Seongwoo's head.

     "So cute. Good night, sweet dreams, pretty boy."

     Then, he shut off the lamp and the room fell into darkness, well for the human more so than him. He said 'Good night, silly human' which only came out as a soft meow and purr.

 

      Seongwoo was forced to wake up the next afternoon from the hot sunrays beating down on him. He sleepily blinked, adjusting to the strong light on his sensitive eyes. He noticed no humans in the room. He must have slept through them getting ready to go out to do... whatever they were doing at wherever this place was. He would like to know, but he had no instantaneous way of knowing.

     He knew he was in a small room in a very, very large house with what had appeared to include hundreds of similar rooms. What was that place called? He knew cities had apartments but they looked like houses inside, not tiny rooms two humans had to share. The building was long too, while apartments were usually tall. This building had stairs, not elevators. He was sure this wasn't like any apartment he had ever seen.

     There had been a ton of people with bags stuck to their backs wandering outside, some riding on little boards with wheels or two-wheeled contraptions people sat on and controlled with some metal bars on the front. He didn't know what they were called yet, but he really wanted to get to a library and figure it out. If possible, he'd like to try riding them himself.

     "Not yet though..."

     He couldn't afford to get lost or not be here when his owner came back. He would need to slowly explore bit by bit of the large area with the ton of large brick and cement buildings those young people with the bags and books had been going in and out of only after he fully understood Daniel and Jisung's daily schedules. He needed to make sure he was back in the room before they were.

     Usually humans had the same routine except for two days put together for resting they called a weekend. Only on those days they didn't have a job or whatever some called school. He couldn't possibly understand why because shapeshifter society didn't have that concept or anything close.

     "Ah, maybe that's what this place is...School..."

     Young humans that went to school were always carrying bags like that on their backs with these strings over their chests that kept it on without any need to use their hands. It was ingenius. He had tried one on before too. It was light and comfortable.

     "But what do you call a school for adults in their twenties? I thought all adults had some kind of job..."

     Seongwoo was full of thoughts as he stretched his sore, stiff body out. He had way overslept. All those days in the forset where he couldn't sleep comfortably on the hard ground had stacked up. He stretched out his bottom first, then his back, then each leg like he was doing yoga. He yawned several times and flexed his tail in waves to exercise that too.

     Then he moved to the shady corner of the bed where the pesky light streaming in couldn't reach because it was blocked by a piece of cloth hanging from the cieling that was called a...He stared at it hard as he searched his brain, which was slowly coming back to fully functioning alertness, for the word. 

     "A curtain, yes, that's it!"

     Feeling proud of himself and humming a tune in his mind humans would only hear as a purr, he started his morning bath. He had just finished the last part, licking his tail with a firm decisive flick like he was painting the last brushstroke of a masterpiece (which my coat arguably is) when he thought of something that made him slap his paw on his nose in embarrassment.

     "Ah, why am I giving myself more hairball trouble? I could have just transformed to my human body and taken a proper shower in the bathroom! Silly me~" He meowed.

     Seongwoo then jumped onto the floor and relaxed, letting himself fully concentrate. He imagined his arms and then legs turning into pale, furless, large limbs. Then, he imagined his tail shrinking and his back bone uncoiling until it was rimrod straight. He imagined his ears and teeth shrinking, his eyes narrowing their shape, his nose elongating and becoming hard and dry. He imagined soft, smooth, flawless peach colored skin replacing his brown and black fur.

     Then, voila, within a minute, his body had changed painlessly into his human form. He kept his eyes closed, stretching out the unfamiliar arms and then bouncing on his feet to ensure they were sturdy before he attempted walking. He circled his head around and pulled on his arms with a five-fingered, clawless hand to stretch his slightly sore shoulder muscles.

     For the first hour after he transformed, he usually felt awkward and sore as he adjusted to the new body. He felt like it might take several hours to get used to it this time since he hadn't been in it for much longer than the normal interval between transformations. He spotted a good-sized half-length morror by Jisung's bed and walked slow and slightly shaky towards it. He wanted to see himself. He was curious how much older and different he looked.

     In the glass, there was an extremely handsome on the verge of being pretty human boy reflected inside. He had flawless pale glistening skin, naturally wavy dark brown hair, a tall thin pointy nose, thin nicely shaped lips, and large expressive brown eyes. His body was exceptionally thin and lanky in a graceful way and he was much taller than an average human. Since his legs were disproportionately long, he had been stopped by some people with these little white cards in the town a few times that said they wanted to make him a 'star' and he'd be a perfect 'model'. Whatever those things were, he wished he could try doing that as his first job. 

     Seongwoo patted his flat, pale stomach and small slightly bony shoulders, wondering with chagrin why his body looked so different from Daniel's.

      "How did Daniel get that chocolate on his tummy? Did he eat it and it was just poking out? Was it a deformity?"

     Seongwoo pouted, which he noticed in the mirror made him look really cute. He didn't recall seeing any other humans with a lumpy body like that. He didn't like thinking about how his body was inferior. Before he had met Daniel, he had a lot of confidence in being pretty. But maybe he wasn't considered manly in the human city, seeing as he didn't have any chocolate on his tummy.

     "Would Daniel mind that? Would he find me attractive as a human too?"

     A part of him didn't care because they were different species(he couldn't mate with him, it wouldn't be allowed by his society). Yet there was another part of him that cared for the first time what this particular human thought of his looks. Well, he had gotten lots of stares from human girls in the town and some had said he was really handsome. That's what men were supposed to be called. But Daniel only called him pretty. It kind of docked his feeling of manliness and in consequence his pride. He wondered if Daniel would say this body was pretty or handsome.

     Knowing that he would debate this every time he saw his body in the mirror today, Seongwoo decided to put on some clothes to resist the temptation. Some clothes he picked up from the floor were all big and kind of smelly. The clothes in the closet fit him much better. He wore a white t-shirt, black pants, and he took one of the white baseball caps hanging on some wall hooks and put it over his hair backwards like Daniel wore it.

     He looked at his reflection and cocked his head--a habit that he couldn't seem to shake even in his hunan form.

     "Looking cool~" he exclaimed and smiled smugly, his lips curving up on one side which he loved doing in this body.

     He was still a bit on the pretty side, but that was just his superior cat genes, he assumed. He wasn't that manly by the definition he had made up with Daniel as a reference but he still clearly resembled a man.

     Then, Seongwoo spun around, looking at the objects scattered all around. He laughed, chiding himself for being so frightened by these little harmless things last night. It was just a bunch of clothes, writing utensils, papers, and garbage. The sanitary lover in him couldn't stand to leave Daniel's side of the room in this utter mess. He found a mask to cover his mouth from dust since he was susceptible to sneezing and then he went to work.

     He didn't know how to fold clothes, so he put them all in the empty basket. Then he threw the trash in a bag, organized the things on the desk, and added the papers and pens to their designated spots he was guessing from the way Jisung's area was arranged. Then he found some wet tissues and wiped the dust all around.

     After that, he was bored, so he started fiddling with the things in the room. Jisung in particular had a lot and they were all kept neat and organized in a sensible manner. Daniel had mainly clothes, junk food, garbage, lots of cables and metal devices, and animal dolls that looked very worn out from being squeezed and laid on. Jisung had a lot of interesting things on his desk that Seongwoo had never seen before. He sat down at the chair and played with them. 

     Seongwoo lifted up everything, touching, smelling, and tasting. He tried to recall what the ones he had seen were used for and others he just tried something to see if it felt right. Later, he would make sure to note how Jisung used them and if he mentioned what they were for at all. First, he used the spiky plastic thing called a hairbrush to groom his head hair until it glistened. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to use the flat end too or not, so he used both sides.

     After his hair seemed shiny and soft enough, he noticed some circular thing that opened when he pushed the button on the side. Inside, there was something wet, tan, and squishy. When he touched it, some kind of pale brown liquid stained his finger. It didn't smell like anything inconspicuous. He tasted it, but immediately made a face, sticking out his tongue.

     "Yuck, yuck, yuck!"

     He spat it out and licked his arm to get the foul taste away and threw a little tantrum. "Why is it that stuff that's supposed to go on your face all tastes gross? Can't humans use something natural to care for their skin that isn't dangerous to the eyes or yucky?"

     He noticed some instructions on the back of the object. It was supposed to give him more confidence and make all his flaws disappear. He was supposed to only apply it by dabbing it evenly on his face with the pad and then 'blend.' He should also be careful not to get it in his eyes and mouth. He could see his reflection in the small mirror on the underside of the lid. He patted the liquid covered pad all over his face, not sure how he was supposed to 'blend' the splotchy parts.

     He next picked up some bottle that said 'hand cream.' Ah, this was that strawberry stuff he remembered smelling on Jisung. He squeezed too hard and a huge blob came out, so he rubbed it on his arms and neck as well as his hands. He really liked the smell, but he was smart about tasting it. He found some tube with a pink, waxy, stick inside. That wasn't as tasty as it smelled either. He applied it to his lips as directed but found it difficult to stay in the thin lines so he ended up with pink stains all over his mouth area.

     Next, he spotted a glass bottle with clear liquid inside and a metal lid on top with a hole.

     "I know this one! It's for when your breath smells...or it's for when your face needs moisture..."

     The liquid stung his throat and eyes and tasted terrible when he sprayed it, making him fan the air and cough wildly. He realized that it made the air smell pretty good, though it was a bit too strong for his tastes with his still sensitive nose, which was now slightly burning from over stimulation.

      Seongwoo decided he needed to give his sense of taste and smell a rest from the various objects he had yet to explore yet.  He looked over at Daniel's desk. Daniel had a few similar bottles and tools but his desk was starkly empty in comparison.

     He went over to the metal box that contained all the books he'd seen Daniel playing with last night. When he touched it, it suddenly lit up, making him gasp and retract his hands. He hissed at it instinctively, though the sound in this body wasn't at all threatening. When he was sure it wasn't going to attack him, he reached a cautious finger out towards it again. It lit up and then he swiped at a button like he'd seem Daniel do. The picture behind the glass immediately changed. There were a bunch more colourful buttons on a background of the sky.

     "Is there stacks of pictures in here then, not books? Wait a second. What on earth is this magical box that you can control with just a touch of  your finger?" 

     He touched some button that looked like a camera(I know that one, it's for taking pictures!) and images of Daniel and Jisung came up. He touched one square and then the picture expanded to fill up the whole glass. In the picture, the two boys were smiling and hugging each other with their faces pressed close. 

      "Ah, he's really handsome. They must be mates then..." Seongwoo spoke aloud as he fondly fingered his owner's cheek.

     He brushed all over the boy's face curiously but all he could feel was cold glass. He wondered what Daniel's skin felt like with his human hands in comparison with his calloused paws. He enjoyed touching things more with his human hands because they were more sensitive and flexible. He could even bend back his adoring opposable thumb to touch the back of his hand.

      Then, he touched somewhere else and the picture flew away. He pressed another botton he recognized with a music note sign. Inside this button was a picture with a list of songs. He found out he could play them and skip to the next one down the list by tapping on the various triangle shapes appearing at the bottom of the glass covered picture. He flipped through, enjoying the music, though he didn't know much of anything.

     One of Seongwoo's favourite things to do in the town was to travel down the road while listening to the songs playing from each individual store. He loved singing, music, and moving his body. He didn't know if there was a proper way to sing or dance. He just had fun doing it his way, following however the music took him. He sang along to a song he recognized, though he didn't understand the full meaning. He grabbed a hair bush and sang while dancing around the room.

" I want to be where the people are  
I want to see  
Want to see 'em dancing  
Walking around on those  
Whadd'ya call 'em? Oh, feet  
Flipping your fins you don't get too far  
Legs are required for jumping, dancing  
Strolling along down a  
What's that word again? Street

Up where they walk  
Up where they run  
Up where they stay all day in the sun  
Wandering free  
Wish I could be  
Part of that world "

(author's note: this song is relevant to Seongwoo, I wonder if you can identify what it is and what it means to him~)

 

     Seongwoo was very good at amusing himself since there were many times his family refused to play with him. His few friends had stopped playing around when he was in his teens. The shapeshifters were a serious bunch and he was the oddity. It was one of the reasons he was teased and bullied. But his mischievous, immature nature wasn't the reason it had gotten much, much worse. His mood suddenly darkened when he started thinking about the events of the past year that had led him to runaway from his kin.

      He sat on the bed and stared blankly at the box. He became entranced by it and decided to distract himself again to chase away the negativity. One button with a book on it showed him the picture books Daniel had been looking at. He flipped through, finding the story interesting, but he also felt disconnected because there were so many cultural things he didn't know which made things less funny and unnecessarily complicated. There were so many words and pictures of things he'd never encountered, so he couldn't draw a proper mental picture. This was something he needed to read with Daniel while he answered all the questions in careful, slow detail Seongwoo had.

     "Maybe some day it will be possible...much later, after I can fully trust him..." he murmured whistfully with a soft sigh. 

     Seongwoo pushed a few more buttons, having figured out how to bring up pictures on the screen and make them go away. He saw noisy games and a camera that took a picture of your face instantly with decorations. Then he decided to watch one of those things called movies. He had only seen them on tvs in restaurants never more than an hour.

     He laid on one of Daniel's dolls, squishing it under his chest, as he sprawled out on his stomach. He didn't know what to pick. There was something interesting in a folder that was named after a bird. Daniel had the most video clips in there. He decided to watch the one that was on the top because it had been recently viewed.

     He clicked on the little green triangle painted over the black box. It expanded and sounds came out. His head tipped to the side as he watched curiously. He had never seen a movie like this.

     "What are they doing? What's with all the sounds?"

      There were two human boys kissing and wrestling without clothes on. They were breathing hard and groaning as if in pain. Then one climbed on top of the other in a way that reminded him of what he'd seen his friends do once in their cat forms during courting season(which he had yet to experience because...well, he had no interest in what his species had to offer him for a mate). Despite that the boy underneath was taking all the weight of the boy on top and was being roughly handled, he had a look of more pleasure than pain and he was saying lots of encouraging, exciting words. He found the spectacle intriguing and wondered what this exercise was called.

     Seongwoo suddenly heard footsteps coming down the hallway with his sensitive ears. He had no time to stop the movie. He threw off the clothes into the dirty laundry basket, hung the cap back on the wall hanger, and then transformed back into his cat form. He laid on the bed like he was just waking up from a nap, forcing himself to yawn so his eyes would tear up and he'd look sleepy. The silly human wouldn't know a thing with his excellent acting skills. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And cliff-hanger! Who's at the door? And yes, what you're guessing is right. Seongwoo was playing with Daniel's tablet and he accidentally started watching a video from Daniel's stash of gay porn haha. Wether it's Daniel or Jisung, it's going to be awkward walking in to see a cat watching porn. I was having a lot of fun writing this chapter, that's why it's longer than the others. I really enjoy writing about Seongwoo having all these adventures and accidents as he learns and tests things out in the human world(he's like a baby but cuter). I tried to save a bit of Ong's cat characteristics even in his human form since even though he doesn't like his cat form, he has spent most of his life in it so he's bound to have little ticks here and there he isn't conscious of(hissing, head tilting, licking himself). I think that makes him even more adorable, sure Daniel will think so too later. 
> 
> Things you learned about shapeshifter Ong Seongwoo today: he loves singing, he has a great voice, he's totally full of himself, he's super pretty and handsome as a human as well, his parents beat him for spending too much time in his human form, he's mesmerized and envious of Daniel's chocolates, he doesn't like water in his cat form, he thinks Jisung X Daniel are mates, he likes movies, he really loves his human form, he hopes Daniel will think his human body is handsome.
> 
> Things shapeshifter Ong Seongwoo played around with today: tablet, foundation in cushion form, lip tint, perfume, hairbrush, strawberry hand cream.
> 
> Also, for now Seongwoo's chapters are going to end up longer than Daniel's I think. But it will change after Daniel finds out who Seongwoo truly is. Hope you guys stay tuned in that long because it's not going to happen right away(but not much longer and they Daniel will meet Seongwoo the human unknowingly). Writing Ong!Cat is too fun. I hope you guys are enjoying Seongwoo's mischeviousness here, he seems like if he would be full of energy and a very playful troublemaker.
> 
> Things you learned about Daniel today: He has a stash of gay porn, he's seriously messy, he likes reading comics and webtoons on his tablet, he's friendly with Jisung, he throws all of his clothes on the floor, he likes eating jellies, he has a killer body, he sleeps in only his boxers, he is easily amused by Ong, he likes to pet and bite Ong. 


	5. Bonding With My Pretty Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel spends some quality time with his new best furball friend~ We can learn some interesting things about both of them and see their cute interactions. Daniel's way with cats is so sweet. Easy to see he's an animal lover. Also see Jisung, Sungwoon, 2sung! I like that coupling though it's not that popular.

   Daniel walked into his dorm room, shocked to hear erotic moaning sounds. Shit, were Jisung and Sungwoon in the middle of doing it so hard they hadn't noticed the door opening? He quickly covered his eyes and went to shut the door. Then, a welcoming meow reached his ears and he risked a peek over at the bed. The meow was from the cat who was laying on the bed, apparently about to nap. The sounds were coming from his tablet, it turned out, which for some reason was on the bed next to the cat, vividly displaying the raunchy porno he'd watched the other day before Jisung had come back from class. 

     His brow furrowed across his handsome features as he glanced between the cleaned up room, the cat, and the device in several, confused rounds. It would be comical if it was a scene he saw in a movie, but with him being the main character it felt like cheap horror.

     "Kittens don't need to see grown up stuff," he flushed and scolded slightly as he touched the device.

     It went black and the passionate groans, 'fuck yes's, and shouts ceased. He put the tablet back on the desk where it belonged and absently pet the cat's back as he looked around the suddenly immaculate side of his room. The pretty Bengal innocently sat up on his bed with his tail twitching and a welcoming look on his cute face.

     "Did Jisung clean up the place? He's never done that before and I thought he was still in class until four..." Daniel looked at the cat with suspicion. "And I could have sworn my tablet was on the desk not the bed when I left this morning. Jisung has his own, so he wouldn't need to touch mine. I wonder if someone broke into our place. Maybe I should tell the RA...Unless, somehow..."

     The cat mewed and jumped in his lap to distract him. 'It's all in your imagination. Just forgot All about it and play with me~' he seemed to be saying. Then he rolled upside down in Daniel's lap, meowing and pawing the air persistently for attention. Daniel laughed, smiling down at him fondly. He was such a funny, cute little thing. He scratched his tummy, causing the cat to wiggle in happiness like before.

     The cat eventually got tired of the sensitivity, playfully grabbed his hand between all four feet, and nibbled gently on his finger. Daniel reached up and slightly squeezed his face which further excited the instinctual fighter in the cat. He grabbed Daniel's fingers between his paws and munched on them while rapidly kicking his wrist with his hind feet like he was killing a rabbit. Daniel felt extremely amused by this. He went back and forth between attacking the cat's stomach and his face.

     Then, the cat bounded off to the edge of the bed. He watched Daniel's hand sneak across the blanket towards him with wiggling fingers. He glared at them and wiggled his butt in the air getting ready to pounce on the giant, spider-like prey. When he had decided the timing was perfect, he leaped high in the air with his front legs spread eagle. Daniel was faster though, swiveling and grabbed at his tail. The cat quickly twisted so his tail was out of Daniel's grasp. Then with lightening speed, the cat belly flopped on his hand and wrapped his front paws around it, kicking with his back paws, and gnawing on the black sweater with his teeth.

     "Oh, so you've got some quick feet and fancy moves, big guy~ But I can do this!"  

     Daniel lifted up his arm. The cat looked comically surprised to be flying, his green eyes wide as saucers. Then, Daniel shook his arm and the cat fell, his body naturally twisting to land on his feet. He only stared at Daniel, dazed for a few seconds. He snapped back to alertness as Daniel wasted no time to attack  him again, this time with two big spider-like hands. The cat rolled on his back, kicking at one hand and biting at the other. Like this, they continued to rough house until they were both out of breath and having difficulty moving out of lying flat on the bed. 

     "Hey, what's this? Did you get into something?" Daniel questioned the cat.

     He picked him up and brought him close. The cat tried to run away but he held fast. Then the cat kept swiveling his head so he couldn't get a good look at his face. He caught the cat's chin and brought it close, so he could see the strange mess on his face. There was tan and pink colored powder over his eyebrow and mouth.

    "Is this makeup?" he asked incredulously.

     He tried to scrub it off which made the cat meow in a distinctly displeased manner. Then, Daniel got a wet tissue and wiped the stubborn substance off, which he didn't like further.

     "How pretty you are already, kitty. The last being in the world to need that junk."

     The cat hid his face behind his paws, almost as if to say 'ah, that's embarrassing me, you're so cheesy, please stop...' Daniel found it funny the confident, narcissistic cat was turning seemingly humble and shy now. Maybe his personality was changing after getting out of the country-side. He looked over at Jisung's desk but everything was neatly arranged and impeccable as per usual. He didn't have makeup, so he didn't need to look at his own desk. What stuff had the cat gotten into? If he had gotten into Jisung's makeup, there should be some sign of spillage or at lease an open bottle. There was no way a cat could open a bottle lid or a tube cap.

     "It's almost like..."

     Daniel was suddenly distracted by the cat, desperate to get his attention, meowing noisily and bumping his nose on his mouth in a surprise kiss. It was as if he was saying 'stop whatever you're thinking and pay me some intention, that's the only thing important.' The cat jumped down and went to the goodie bag and pawed at it. He looked at Daniel pointedly and started meowing in a demanding tone.

     "You're hungry, huh? I will get your dinner ready first then."

     He hurried to comply to the demanding, diva-like animal's orders. He put a can of tuna on the floor and filled up his water and food dish. He watched with a proud grin as the cat wolfed down the food quick yet somehow still gracefully, without spilling any pieces or dirtying himself. Then, Daniel remembered they had something to do tonight. He better do it before the cat started napping. He knew that cats often got sleepy after eating. Daniel took out a book and some paper from his backpack and sat on the bed.

     "Come here, buddy," he called to the cat in a friendly manner, patting the bed once the cat looked his way.

     The cat made an almost chirping like sound as he happily bounded up on the bed, licking his mouth. He sat next to Daniel and then cleaned his paws and rubbed them over his face. Daniel scrunched his nose as he watched the ridiculous level of cuteness before him.

     "You are so pretty it's out of this world. I don't know why I never got a cat like you before..."

     The cat paused and gave him a proud look and almost appeared to have rolled his eyes like 'as if there were any cat like me in the world, good luck with that!'

     "Aigoo, so cute!" He chuckled and ruffled the cat's fur with his fingers in adoration.

     The cat put a firm stop to that, stepping on his arm and pushing it to the bed. He really didn't like to have a single hair out of place it seemed, which made Daniel laugh further in amusement and gaze at the cat with continuously growing affection. He was now ignoring his owner, licking his fur back to perfect neatness while keeping the troublesome monster trapped under his paws. Daniel turned to the book in his lap and opened it.

      "Hmm, let's see...what to call you..."

      He was looking for the perfect name for the unique, adorale, hilarious cat. Everything seemed too generic or somehow unsuitable though. He brushed his chin, letting out a 'hmm' as he thought carefully(more so than on any exam he'd attempted last semester). He was interrupted by the cat climbing on his chest, pawing at him, and rubbing his nose on his fingertips. Daniel smiled happily and reached his hand down to give him the pats he was asking, more like demanding, for. The cat purred and mewed softly, as if begging him 'give me more attention, more and more~'

     "You sure like skinship. Just like me. Only with guys though. Shh, it's our little secret."

     The cat looked at him and then the tablet on his desk with a tilted face and an extremely pleased grin. His green eyes had a sense of surprise, seeming to say to him 'you like guys? So that's why those movies were there...' Daniel blushed and caughed as he thought about his perverted fantasies blaring for the cat and all of his neighbors to hear. He always watched it in total privacy with headphones in. He would have to put a lock on the tablet so the cat couldn't accidently open it with his curious, fumbling paws again.

     The cat turned his attention to the book as well. His head and eyes shifted from left to right like he was actually able to read it. But there was no way...He was probably just scouting out for his next victim.

     "Okay, kitty. I want to choose a name for you. But I don't want to call you something you don't like. You might even have a name. I want you to give me some kind of sign while I read."

     After a few pages of names he read aloud, the cat suddenly put his paws on two words. That was the sign. Such a smart kitty he was~ Daniel wrote them down on the note pad and tried to decipher how the cat wanted them. One was Jiwoo. Another was Daseong. He put them together and asked the cat.

     "You like Jidang?" The cat glared at him and shook his head. He tapped more insistently on a part of the word with his paw.

     "Oh, my god, can you seriously read?" he asked in total shock.

     He wasn't sure if that was possible. In all his cat expertise, he'd never seen a cat that could read Korean. Well, they had eyes and thoughts, so it was possible they could be trained. But the level of intelligence needed for that would be outstanding...

     "Wooseong? Dawoo? Wooda?" He asked, writing out the letters for the cat to read.

     The cat rolled his eyes and snorted as if he was saying in utter annoyance, 'OMG so frustrating! You are such a hopeless, dense human.' Daniel chuckled in disbelief rather than offense, and pat his head in apology for failing to properly interpret what this intelligent prince really wanted to communicate.

     "Hmm..." Daniel gazed at the paper, contemplating what combination he had yet to try. "Ah, there's one more I just thought of!"

     He wrote down two large letters and said the name but it was suspiciously very human like. He would never think someone would name an animal this common Korean name.

     "Seongwoo?" he asked tentatively.

     The cat nodded and suddenly bounced as hard as he could on top of the two characters with two paws. As usual, this pretty Bengal was incredibly over-dramatic. "Your owner named you Seongwoo? Seriously? What a weird choice..." he commented with a disbelieving snort.

     The cat stopped bouncing suddenly and looked at him with narrowed eyes and the cat version of an upset pout. He seemed to be saying 'hey, no making fun, that's my name and I happen to like it.' He burst out laughing and hugged the precious, one-of-a-kind animal to his chest, falling back on the bed. He felt so much love for and attachment to the animal already, almost more so than his own cats at home. He was just so...perfect. 

     "Okay okay, I'll call you Seongwoo, I promise. It's a lovely name. Come here, come here. Don't be angry, Seongwoo~" he cooed, sticking out his lips and brushing the cat's favorite spot with his fingers.

     The cat fought the pleasant feeling attempting to wash over him, pushing back his ears to block access, and looked anywhere but him as if he was in the middle of a tantrum. His tail tip flicked hard on Daniel in clear irritation. Oh my god, this precious cat was honestly upset Daniel had made fun of his name.

     "Hey, pretty boy...." The cat actually lightly hissed at him, making him stop in his tracks immediately. "Woops, I mean Seongwoo. Pretty Seongwoo~ Hey, look at me, tsk tsk tsk..." he called to the cat with tongue clicks.

     Ah, so he really disliked the pretty boy name Daniel had been using all of a sudden. Daniel kept encouraging the cat to forgive him and give him love by sticking out his lips near his face for kisses and scratching his favorite spot. Eventually, the cat caved at the stimulation and promise of skinship. His eyes half closed, his ears twitched, his tail slowed, and his head turned towards Daniel and lowered. Daniel gently pecked his cheek. The cat closed his eyes and seemed to smile. 'okay, you win, I'll accept your kisses this once, but watch what you say in the future, mister...'

     "Hello, Seongwoo? Seongwoo... Seongwoo, Seongwoo, Seongwoo~"

      Every time Daniel called the cat's name, he was rewarded with a wet, cool nose bump on his lips, chin, or cheek. The cat really seemed to like hearing his name. He attempted saying pretty boy again, just to see how the hilarious animal with the huge personality would act. The cat growled and literally blocked his mouth with a paw. Daniel chuckled and kissed the soft, fuzzy paw pressing on his lips in mixed apology and display of his affection. 

 

 

      After laying for a bit and then playing around with the cat some more, he started to feel hungry. The cat followed him to the small kitchen area. He climbed up on the counter and watched as Daniel put water in a pot and turned the stove on. He stretched his neck out, curiously looking into the pot and sniffing. Daniel gently pushed the cat back by his chest and waved a finger, putting on a slightly stern tone of voice.

     "This will get hot. Don't touch it or you will get your gorgeous coat singed, got it?"

     The cat jumped back in horror all the way to the opposite corner, tucking its tail under its front legs like a shield. Daniel snorted out a laugh at his antics. It really did seem like the cat could understand him and he listened so well. Plus, he even seemed to have a bit of a sense of humor and was quite dramatic. He often overreacted to situations like actors did in daily sitcoms. If the cat was in a webtoon, he could picture the exact sound effects that would be in large zig zagged blocks by his exaggerated expressions.

     Daniel waited for the water to boil by shaking the ramen packet, singing, and dancing to some random song he had been listening to with his phone on the way back from class.

     Come to think of it, he couldn't remember anything he learned today or what the homework was. The lectures were boring and the old professors extremely dull and monotone, so he ended up sleeping through most of his classes. The exams this semester were going to be a nightmare. He figured from a few days from now, he'd stop playing around and go study at the library. For now, he was going to stay at home to bond with his new buddy and make sure he got fully adjusted and adapted. He was happy to see the cat hadn't suffered anxiety or destroyed the place while he was gone.

     As he cooked the noodles in the boiling water, he talked to the cat since he had no one else to talk to currently. He led such a lonely life with his roommate and closest friend always out with his 'not-boyfriend-yet-but-someday-maybe' lover. 

     "So, Seongwoo, what did you do today? Did you nap all day long? Where did you find that make-up? You used the litter box, right? I better smell my clothes just in case you're not potty trained..."

     The cat as expected didn't answer but he did seem to make a face at the last part that looked almost offended. Daniel imagined the regal, prince-like Bengal saying in a lofty, hurt British tone 'how dare you imply that I pissed on your clothes, what an uncivilized and absolutely preposterous  idea!'

      "Ah, of course our always squeaky clean Prince Seongwoo wouldn't do something dirty like that, I know~" he joked.

     He leaned in and pressed his lips out. The cat merely looked at him without budging forward the rest of the way, like he was playing hard to get from Daniel teasing him too much.

     "Ah, I see~ My pretty Seongwoo is a chic boy, not easy at all. Hmm...I guess you don't need this then? Chic boys don't drink childish sweet things like this, nope~" he teased, flashing some banana milk he grabbed from the fridge.

     The cat's lime-green eyes brightened as soon as he saw it and he meowed in excitement. Daniel peeled off the paper lid and let him sniff it. He took it away just when the cat greedily stuck his tongue in to taste. The cat positively glowered at him and whined for it back.

     "Ah, this is only for sweet, loving cats," he explained with a smirk.

     Daniel then bent down and stuck his face in front of the cat's, pointedly pursing his lips. The cat debated which option was the best of the worst for a few seconds, then pressed his mouth directly over Daniel's lips and rubbed firmly. Then, he looked up at the banana milk and meowed like he was saying 'There, human, you happy? Now give me the goodies~'

     "Alright, you deserve it. You sure listen well, Seongwoo~"

     He put the milk into a bowl and the cat happily lapped at it as Daniel finished his ramen. The door opened just as he was starting to eat on his bed. Jisung and Sungwoon came in.

     "Hi Daniel, hi kitty~"

     Jisung came in, set down his shoulder bag, and pat the cat who jumped up on his bed to greet him with cheerful mews. It was their first interaction. Jisung seemed a bit hesitant to touch him more than a few seconds but he had a soft motherly smile on that suggested he was feeling a bit fond of the animal now. His lovely Seongwoo was adorable to the point of being irresistable and heart-melting, so how could Jisung not be?

     "His name is Seongwoo. He picked it out from this book," Daniel commented with immense pride. The cat looked over at him and they shared a special, secret moment.

     "Seongwoo? Seems like a human name. Hi, Seongwoo, come here boy~"

     "Yeah right," Sungwoon snorted in disbelief and flopped on Jisung's bed with his arms spread in total relaxation like he lived here too(he was here often enough the last month, it was arguably true). "He's just a dumb animal. He can't possibly read."

     Jisung chided him and smacked his leg as he sat down. "What did this pretty animal ever do to you? He's probably more intelligent than half of your jock friends."

     The cat climbed into Jisung's lap. He looked over at Sungwoon.

     "Hi Seongwoo!" Sungwoon cheesily smiled and waved.

      Seongwoo hissed and then turned his back on him, little black nose turned up like 'hmph, do I know you?'. Then he laid on Jisung's lap, curling his tail impeccably at his side with the utmost grace as if he was actually dancing. He faced Daniel and watched him slurp up the noodles, his ears twitching forward when he made a louder sound.

     Jisung pointed a finger and laughed mockingly at Sungwoon. "Oh my god, he totally hates you and loves me!"

     "Great~ Why don't you play mom and dad with Daniel then?" He sneered with a tone dripping in sarcasm, looking a bit embarassed at being rejected.

     "Oh, I certainly wouldn't mind. Daniel's handsome and you should see him shirtless. Hmm, what a rocking bod he's got!" Jisung replied with enthusiasm and a perverted grin.

     Daniel choked on his food as he blushed furiously. The cat rushed over to him in concern, pawing at his leg and meowing. He seemed to be saying 'hey, are you okay, what can I do, don't die~' Daniel hit his chest and tried to chew the food quickly, patting the cat's head in assurance that he wasn't dying. It had been a long time since an attractive man had given him a compliment.

     "Hey, I've got a good body, too!" Sungwoon insisted with a jealous, pouty face, lifting up his shirt to reveal his slightly toned stomach.

     "Daniel, show him the real guns!" Jisung insisted, gesturing across the room at his stomach.

     Daniel would refuse but Jisung would bother him until he eventually gave in to shut him up. He sighed and lifted up his shirt.

     Sungwoon looked down and his expression turned gloomy. "Aw, I've lost. I admit it cooly."

     Daniel dropped his shirt down, shyly covering his face as he let out a dorky laugh.

     "You are a bit squishier, but I like you still," Jisung cuddled up against Sungwoon and poked his stomach to cheer him up.

     Talk about giving the wound and then the medicine, Daniel thought. Jisung was certainly a difficult man to handle. Certianly not the kind of man he would pick as a boyfriend.

     Sungwoon wrapped his arm around Jisung's back, bringing him closer to his side. Jisung flushed and grinned shyly, their faces now a few inches away and facing each other like they were about to kiss any second. Daniel looked over at them and made a disgusted face, sticking out his tongue as they got lost in their own world, giggling and joking around.

     The cat who had been watching the interaction with interest and a swinging head mimicked his espression, stuck out tongue included. Daniel looked down at him and smiled softly at his little mini-me, comedy partner. Gah, he was the cutest thing~

     "It's okay. I've got my pretty boy at least. Let's have cuddle time, Seongwoo~" Daniel sang, grabbing the cat and pulling him onto his stomach, lying down on the bed again.

     He held Seongwoo and kissed his forehead. Seongwoo slow blinked, squishing his eyes tight together. Daniel thought that was possibly a contender for the cutest thing he'd seen Seongwoo do so far(he had a list long enough to spread from one end of the room to the other by now).

     "Haa, when will I ever get to have that kind of thing, you think?" He sighed in a low tone only the cat could clearly hear.

     The pretty Bengal seemed to be sympathizing with him as if he was saying, just as equally sad, 'I wonder when will I get to have that too?'

     Daniel released the cat, expecting him to leave for exploring or bathing or some other important business cats always seemed to have. His cats only allotted a certain number of minutes at a time for him and it was way past the average amount now. To his utter surprise, Seongwoo settled down on his stomach with his paws partially wrapped around his neck, his head drooping to rest under his chin. Daniel went 'AWW~' out loud and lightly hugged the cat's small, soft body and gently scratched the back of his fuzzy neck. Daniel felt strangely comforted and at peace when Seongwoo was in his arms like this. It was almost like he had a tiny, hairy lover he could enjoy cuddles with like the 'couple' were on the other bed.

     Luckily, they weren't kissing(that would have made him jealous enough to jump out the window). They were just sitting close, looking at each other with endearing smiles and chatting happily. The only thing that subtly hinted at their more intimate relationship was Sungwoon's hand on Jisung's hip and Jisung's hand on his thigh. Also, the way they looked at each other like there was no one else necessary in the world was a big hint.

     Daniel sighed deeply, gazing enviously at them, and then looked back at the cieling as he felt tears welling up. He squeezed the purring cat closer as he was gripped with intense loneliness and envy which occured more frequently the past few months. He was going to die an old man without ever having his first lover at this rate. He was already freaking 22, practically 30. Even if he randomly bumped into some gorgeous stranger and they somehow managed to click right away, he likely wouldn't be able to progress with them. Because he was still afraid of coming out of the closet and being ridiculed and bullied again. He hadn't even been able to tell the two gay guys in the room somehow, he just couldn't seem to trust people in this country. 

     Seongwoo licked his neck in comfort, seeming able to sense his wavering emotional state. "Thanks, buddy. But not quite the kisses I need right now..." he murmured, brushing the top of the cat's velvety head with his thumb.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this fluffy chapter too. Not much progress in terms of plot. But quite a lot of progress in their relationship. Ongniel have a few days in which they bond quite a lot, quicker than others would expect or even each other. Because Ongniel is Science, yup. Never ever get tired of this joke. They're geniuses for coming up with it(unless they got it offline from fans...).
> 
> Things you learned about Kang Daniel today: Daniel loves ramen, he's quite lonely, he's never had a lover, he's jealous of 2sung, he still feels like he won't be able to admit he's gay or confess even if he had someone he liked, he's terrible at studying, Daniel has a hot bod but he's shy about showing it, he's very cheesy, he likes teasing Ong and others, he loves to play with Ong, he loves to role around on the bed with Ong, he loves to kiss Ong, Daniel starts to suspect something is strange about Ong but Ong is good at making him lose his train of thought at the perfect time
> 
> Things you learned about others: Jisung doesn't hate Ong, Jisung is emaculate and wears lots of make-up, Sungwoon still dislikes cats but he's sweet to Jisung and listens to him at least, Jisung likes Dan's bod and thinks he's handsome, 2Sung are not official yet, Ong is a bit of a dramatic witty diva, Ong likes to play hard to get, Ong is quite easily offended when it comes to his name and being called pretty, Ongniel are a comedy duo even in cat form, Ong has become addicted to skinship and he's very comfortable giving kisses now.
> 
> Next chapter, Ong will finally venture outside...just to the library to read some books, his favorite hobby. And there, he will meet a special someone he never expected to meet....
> 
> Thank you for reading and giving kudos. Please tell me what you thought~ 


	6. First Campus Adventure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seongwoo goes out in human form to explore his surroundings and catches a surprising amount of attention, especially from females all over the campus. He bumps into Daniel in the library and introduces himself. They finally meet but only one of them knows who the other truly is. Will they hit it off? How will Daniel think of Seongwoo in human form?

 Seongwoo had Jisung's and Daniel's schedules down after a few more days. Daniel left early in the morning and Jisung about two hours after. Then, about four to five hours later, Daniel came home. After showering and dressing, that gave Seongwoo a roughly three hour window to find the library, study, and then make his way back safely.

     He wore black jeans with a rip at the knees, a denim jacket, and a white over-sized shirt and fixed his hair to the side like he had seen Jisung do with some wax-like liquid called gel this morning. He had now learned what most things were called on Jisung's desk and how to use them properly through daily close observation.

     He would carefully cleanse his face in the sink first, and then put on skin creams, dabbing gently with his finger tips until it was nearly dried. He made no mistake to taste it--once was enough of each to learn his lesson.

      He even willed himself to use the hair drier today, though he couldn't help dropping it and hissing at it at first. It was so dang noisy. It gave him a mini heart attack. He loved the shower, though he didn't know how to use the metal piece properly, so water kind of splashed all over the floor. Oh, and he kept somehow getting shampoo in his eyes. But other than that, no major disasters. He loved the feeling of the warm water on his sensitive, hairless body. So nice especially to not have to use his tongue and not get any hairballs.

      Seongwoo was worried about stepping back outside even if he was much bigger than before. He recalled the noise and chaos with a distasteful shudder. Is it worth it going out into the jungle? He nodded firmly and decided it was. He was bored of this room where he mostly napped and he needed to know things, desperately.

     He wanted to get as much information on the human world as fast as he could. He wanted to walk around confidently, feeling at ease and as human as everyone else around him. He didn't want to be seen as a wierd foreigner for long. He wanted to seem just like anyone else.

    "I wanna be part of your world, I wanna be where the people are," he hummed his favorite song.

     Then, someday he could venture out in the world with his own job and house, free to do whatever he pleased with his life, exactly as he'd always dreamed of. No rules, no restrictions, no judgemental, serious shifters, especially no fur, no hairballs, and no cat food.

 

 

     When he went outside, it somehow didn't seem as bad as the other day. There weren't many people out with their books and bags today. They all seemed to be elsewhere. Maybe in those buildings I saw them going in and out of? Those buildings must be where school is (or is it that they did their school), or it could be their jobs possibly and school are elsewhere...Ah, why is there so much I don't know?!

     He wasn't fully sure. He really needed to get to a library and figure this all out. He was going to go insane constantly not knowing where he was, what people had in their hands or what they were doing surrounding him every day.

     He couldn't ask Daniel or Jisung yet, they were just getting used to him in cat form. He didn't want to spring his human form on them. Actually, he was  enjoying living with his owner so much he wasn't sure he ever wanted to risk getting thrown out and having to find a new one.

     No one could replace Daniel in his heart. No one else personally cared for him, gave him amazing pets, played as often and as enthusiastically, gave such sweet cuddles and kisses as Daniel. There was no possible way. Daniel was the kindest, sweetest, most handsome and cute human he had ever seen.

     Seongwoo would admit he rather adored Daniel already. They'd bonded hard and fast since Daniel came straight home from schedules and showered him with attention, ignoring the piles of books and notebooks Jisung kept reminding him about. Daniel had to study for something called an exam and he had to do something called homework, a project, and an essay. But Daniel had said he was procrastinating (which Seongwoo guessed meant something like playing around) because how Seongwoo was feeling was more important to him.

     Aw~ that had kind of melted his heart and turned him all squishy inside, at the same time he had cringed at the cheesiness. Daniel said the greasiest things with total ease and he honestly thought he was clever or romantic with them. It was frankly just extremely dorky and a bit cute. Okay, cute enough I want to bite him. Which sometimes he did for his owner's silly comments when they got to be too much or too frequent, but just a nibble, never again enough to hurt him.

     Daniel understood his meaning by the nibbles too. Daniel would say something like "That was terrible, huh?" or "Sorry Seongwoo, I thought you'd appreciate that one." It made Jisung crack up, calling Seongwoo very clever and full of witty sense. Jisung said they were like a best friend/comedy duo and they both commented on how he was extremely human-like.

     Well as long as he couldn't talk, he'd stay safe from discovery. For now, since he didn't want to risk losing his new friends and happy home, he would need to rely on his old friend--books. And there was one place he knew he could find a ton of them and not have to use those papers or plastic cards people called money.

     He walked outside, down the cement steps, and along the short-cut green grass lined sidewalk, observing the large brick buildings and signs around him. He couldn't find the one with an L word ending in a Y he was looking for though. 

     "Miss, can you tell me where the library is?" Seongwoo tapped a passing girl's shoulder and asked her.

     The cute girl gasped when she saw him, putting her hand over her mouth. She was blushing and giggling, barely able to look at him. He wondered if he had something on his face or teeth. Why didn't she stop laughing? What was so funny exactly, and why was she all red?

     "I'll tell you... if you tell me your name and major," she said coyly with a big smile.

     "My name is Ong Seongwoo. What's a major?" He smiled and cocked his head after politely bowing.

     "Ong? Not Hong? Or Gong? Or was it Oong, you mean? Did I hear right?" She asked with one eyebrow up in doubt.

     "Yes, Miss. Not Gong Seongwoo. Not Hong Seongwoo. Not Oong Seongwoo. My name is Ong Seongwoo."

     'Well, Ong Seongwoo..." She smiled and gazed up and down in delight. "It was very nice to meet you. My name is Sunmi. I hope to see you around more often. The library is there."

     He followed the pretty, giggling, red-faced girl's directions. As he walked through the small crowd, several girls stopped on the sidewalk and turned to him, some even following. They wore the same blushing, starry-eyed look as they giggled and whispered. He picked up lots of things with his sensitive ears. It seemed like they were talking about him.

     He apparently stood out quite a bit in the human world for his looks and tall frame, not just the shifter world. The reactions were different from female cats when they tried to display they liked him, however. The female cats were more forward. They used to rub on him, swish their tails in his face, meow a ton, and try to groom him often. He found it bothersome and unpleasant. They always messed his coat up worse than before.

     "He's so tall."

     "Look at his legs, they go on for ages!"

     "Did you see his face? So handsome, he doesn't even look like he had surgery!"

     "You think he's a model or an actor?"

     "I think he's probably studying fashion. Those clothes are unique designers."

     Seongwoo walked faster, covering his sensitive ears to get away from the noise and looks. He usually liked being the center of attention, but there were too many people and it was over stimulation again that was making him feel panicked. He rushed into the building and spoke to the first person at the counter with the sign that said information.

     "Where can I find a book about everything?" He asked quickly.

     "Um.." The girl stared and blushed as well, seeming to lose all ability to think when he ran up to the counter and smacked his hand on it.

     He wanted to roll his eyes and yank at his hair. Why do all these female humans seem to catch some disease when they see me? Am I really that unique? Is it just because I'm freakishly tall? He was flattered, but mostly frustrated. The only person that's opinions about his looks mattered was Daniel and he was elsewhere.

     "Miss? Please tell me. It's urgent!" He said in a softer tone and flashed a forced, hopefully kind smile.

     She reddened further and looked down, eventually stuttering out, "I think you could start with an encyclopedia. In the isle A4 to your right."

      "Ah, encyclopedia~ That's what it's called, right~ Thanks, have a good day!" He cheerfully said and bowed his head to her, the polite way of greeting for humans.

     The woman was left shell-shocked as she wistfully murmured, "Yes, well, now I think I will be having a very good one..."

     Seongwoo ignored the glances of more females and even some males as he went to the isle she had suggested. He searched through the titles until he found a promising encyclopedia that had 'everything about the world from a to z.' It was on the top shelf, but with his long limbs and exceptional height he barely had to even stretch his arm out to get it.

     He took it down and opened to the first page, reading excitedly as he wandered through the people looking for books to an area with a bunch of tables. Young people were sitting there, silently reading or writing in notebooks, their bags not on their backs but on the floor left open to easily take out the contents. He noticed there were mostly books and papers inside, sometimes snacks or plastic bottles full of various colored liquids. He sat down at one with only a couple of people and put the heavy book on the table with a thump.

     "Sorry," he whispered when the table shook and the humans glared at him.

     You humans are much noiser than a book, you have no idea with your dull hearing senses...He made a face and then sat down in the chair. He turned the page excitedly. Time to study, time to learn, hmm hmm hmm~

     The book was perfect for him. It had lots of words, detailed explanations, and colored pictures as well. He learned many things as he sat there, like that those bags the young people had were called back packs, the school that adults went to was called a college, those things he'd seen people riding yesterday were called bikes and skateboards, the metal thing in the shower that spouted water was a nasal, and the wind machine was called a hair drier. He was extremely eager to learn about the human world as quickly as he could, so he became absorbed in the extremely helpful book for an extended amount of time.

 

 

     He wasn't sure how long he was reading, but it was definitely enough time for his back to hurt and for the people at his table to move. He looked up at the sound of a click and giggling. He was now surrounded by girls who weren't even pretending to study. Some were blatantly looking at him and others were pointing their phones at him and it was going 'click click click' rapidly.

      He shyly smiled and laughed, waving his hand and politely bowing his head. They smiled wider and giggled some more.

     "Hi..." He murmured, sheepishly scratching the back of his neck as he was suddenly bombarded by curious questions.

     "What's your name?"

     "Where are you from? Are you Korean?"

     "How tall are you?"

     "What's your major?"

     Seongwoo was overwhelmed by the human words and they were all overlapping so he was confused. Jesus, one at a time! So noisy!

     "Ne? Ne...um..My name is Ong Seongwoo. Um, yes I'm Korean. I'm from... around here. I don't know my exact height, sorry. My major is...um, fashion," he said the first thing he had recalled from the earlier gossiping girls he'd encountered.

     He had read in the book that every student needed a major in college. If he didn't say one, he would look suspicious and it could blow his cover. He couldn't let that happen when he really liked his current home.

     "Wah, you are really handsome, no wonder!"

     "You should be a model or an actor."

     "Can you sing? If you were an idol, I'd spend all my fortune following you around."

     Seongwoo flushed in embarrassment at the compliments, though also feeling flattered. He realized his looks were unusual and caused females to act strangely in this city too, not just the town. It made him feel more confident. On top of that, he hadn't heard he was pretty even once. These girls at this college kept saying he was handsome, enough to even be a model or actor, which both sounded like some kind of amazing job.

     He made a mental note to search what they were in the encyclopedia once he got a moment of peace. He realized he was probably going to have to move to a new table at this rate though. There was a crowd of girls all trying to talk and taking pictures of him. 

     "Omo, did you see him blink just now? So cute!" *click click

     "No, did you see him lick his lips? So sexy!" *click click click  
        
     "Oppa, are you thirsty? Have some tea." A green bottle was passed his way.

     "No, rose water is better for your skin. Drink this, oppa." A pink bottle was passed his way, knocking into the other one.

     "Are you hungry? I made these cookies by myself. Please try them! I can come study with you and bake anything you wish." A plastic box full of flat, circular bread snacks that smelled sweet and chocolaty was pushed in front of him.

     Seongwoo accepted everything gratefully, though he wasn't sure what to do with it, bowing, smiling in a friendly way, and flushing with shyness. Suddenly, his ears picked up a familiar, faint voice in the distance. A man with a thick, deep voice and a strange yet very appearing accent was speaking. I know that wonderful voice. No, it couldn't possibly be...

     "I'm studying now, Jaehwan. You can come over and see him later. Yes, he's just fine. He's adjusting and happy. No, Sungwoon didn't try to steal him.  He isn't that much of a jerk! Yeah, anyways. I will text you in a few hours when I'm home. We'll eat pizza and do the assignment. Minhyun? Sure, I dont mind. But our room's pretty small..."

     Seongwoo followed the lovely sound with his super hearing abilities and frantically looked around the tables of heads. His face lit up and his heart raced excitedly when he spotted Daniel finally. He wasn't imagining it, the boy was actually in the flesh in the library too! What an amazing coincidence. 

     The blond boy was as handsome as ever. He was wearing a white, baggy sweater and his hair was swept messily to the side today. He was laughing while talking on the small metal box called a phone looking over this way at no one direction in particular, a pencil dangling loosely between his fingers he was fiddling with. His huge smile was so sweet and beautiful, making his dark, kind eyes scrunch up into crescent moons.

     Ah, how do I describe this. It's not cute but it's not quite handsome. Somewhere in between. He's so....cutesome! I have to get a closer look~

     Seongwoo ignored everyone vying for his attention, getting lost in just looking at the good looking boy who let off all these addictive, happy vibes. He could look at his owner forever. If only his species bred beings that looked like that. But then again, male mating was unheard of in his world. And Daniel has Jisung already, right? Or doesn't he? 

     He remembered Daniel seeming very sad yesterday when Jisung had been rubbing up to and talking with the Cat Hater. Are they currently battling for Jisung's affection come mating season? He wondered when courting and mating seasons were in the human world. And at about what age they started.

     At Daniel's age, Seongwoo assumed he had mated a few times at least. Had he chosen the same mate or did he try a different one every year?

     In his species, mating started at 20, if you were interested that is, and you could have only one mate for a full mating cycle, which happened roughly once in the cold season and once in the hot season. But he had let five seasons pass without accepting any of his female pursuers.

     At first, his parents had tried to persuade him to start mating as they thought he would become more mature and start liking shifter life more. Later, they had even forced him and threatened him. He had his reasons and he tried to avoid telling them why he didn't want any of the females around. However, eventually rumors got out and the intense bullying and shaming started, leaving him no choice to say the truth. Well, as he'd expected, his strict conservative parents hadn't taken it well that he was rather attracted to...something else besides female shifters. 

     Seongwoo decided he wanted to get closer to Daniel and maybe introduce himself. He knew the slightly foolish boy wouldn't easily make a connection to the cat he thought was in the room and he was curious about how Daniel would react.

     Will he call me pretty or handsome? Will he say I'm cute? Will he be nice? Will he help me understand this human world I even more desperately want to be a part of, especially after I found a person I want to share experiences with?

     "Sorry, I just saw a friend. Thanks, but I'm not hungry or thirsty now. See you around~" Seongwoo waved to the crowd of girls and gave their food and bottles back.

     He took his book and stood up, leaving the girls pouting disappointedly. They were nice but he kind of hoped they wouldn't bother him when he was studying next time. He had a limited number of hours every day between when Jisung left and Daniel returned from their... classes or jobs.

 

 

     Daniel had his head down, taking notes from a large book he was reading. Seongwoo saw a ton of numbers and it made him feel dizzy. His parents had taught him how to read and write when he was young because there were instances they needed it when dealing with humans, but he had refused to learn past basic math. It always gave him headache and made him feel ill.

     The chair across from Daniel was empty. He took a deep breath and put a hand over his heart, willing himself to calm down. He was feeling nervously excited at finally meeting Daniel man-to-man. It felt like he was talking to him for the first time.

     Do I look okay? Are these clothes nice on me? Will Daniel like my voice? Will he compliment my looks and go all silly like those diseased females? 

     Seongwoo could calm his heart, but he couldn't turn off his big, excited smile as he sat down. He put his book on the table and pretended to study. The book wasn't nearly as interesting though so eventually he rested his hand and watched Daniel being all focused and serious with an adoring smile. Hmm, I didn't know it was possible, but he is even more attractive like this...

     Even after ten minutes, Daniel seemed absorbed in learning, not once looking up to Seongwoo's slight disappointment. Daniel's dark colored brows furrowed in deep thought and he bit the eraser part of the pencil with his white slightly bucked front. After several minutes of number writing, reading, and biting, he sighed deeply and tossed down the pencil, seeming frustrated and totally sick of his homework. 

     Yes, please notice me!

     Seongwoo quickly ducked his head, pretending to be reading something interesting. He nodded and hummed, enthusiastically tapping a word with his finger like he'd just gotten it. Daniel was looking at him now. He could feel his stare. Seongwoo peeked from the corner of his eye, but the other was wearing an expression that was difficult to read. 

     Seongwoo felt his face heat and heart race under that continuous stare. Daniel seemed fixated on his face now, not even blinking, looking stuck in an expression of utter surprise. How was he supposed to interpret that look? He knew now how female humans expressed their attraction. They laughed, giggled, talked to him or about him, and took pictures. But what about Daniel, or human males in general, how could Seongwoo know if the boy liked or disliked him?

      Seongwoo forced himself to play cool and ignored the boy openly staring at him, which others might find rude or strange, flipping the page and pretending to read. He fought back from letting his smile grow past a slight crooked smirk, but couldn't help giggling. He hoped that Daniel simply thought he was reading something amusing. Daniel suddenly reached out and tapped on his shoulder. Oh, god, here it comes, our first official conversation!

     "Hmm?" Seongwoo slowly and calmly raised his head and looked at Daniel.

     That handsome face was smiling sweetly at him just a foot across the table. Seongwoo was tempted to go across and kiss him in greeting, but from what he knew, humans didn't kiss strangers. It meant something more serious than it did to cats. Daniel liked it when he was a cat but he might not with a random male human. Especially since he already had a human mate to share kisses with. Seongwoo didn't want to interfere in their courting ritual.

     "Hey.... Sorry to interrupt your studies, but do you know you're reading upside down?" Daniel whispered, slight teasing and a barely held-back chuckle evident in his tone.

     Seongwoo quickly looked down, embarased to see his book was indeed turned upside down and he had been acting like a fool, pretending to read it. Wow, dunce of the century award goes to Ong Seongwoo!

     "Oh, I'm just practicing reading this way. It's more fun and it keeps me awake." He stuck out his tongue and brushed his neck in embarrassment, then let out a nervous laugh. 

     "Ah, I see..." Daniel responded and then they fell into awkward silence, resuming their individual studying.

     Seongwoo tried to study properly this time. Focus, focus, he's handsome yes, but he won't like being stared at by a stranger just like it's bothered you today. He got distracted often from Daniel who seemed to often stop his studying and glance at him when he thought Seongwoo wasn't looking. Daniel chewed on a jelly absently, his eyes flicking over Seongwoo's face with slow blinks and a tiny smile, his cheeks turning a little tint of red here and there. When Seongwoo glanced up, the instant their eyes met, Daniel would return his gaze to the book and start jotting down notes, acting like he hadn't just been staring at the shifter. Seongwoo would watch him for a moment with an amused smile and quiet chuckle, then return to the book, waiting for the feel of those brown eyes to eventually drift to him again.

     They went like this back and forth for several minutes. Seongwoo enjoyed it, like it was a new kind of game. Yay, we match well even in human form~ Hehe. Life's so fun with this human and I feel so happy.

     Eventually, their fun game was interrupted. The girls at the table started to take notice of Seongwoo like all the others had today. They came to annoyingly stare and take pictures of him, joined by the ones from the previous table. Seongwoo tried to be polite but he couldn't help sighing and looking a bit tired of their attention.

     Daniel watched the spectacle with an amused grin and occasional chuckle. He stopped even pretending to be studying, apparently finding Seongwoo's suffering entertaining and a much more worthwhile use of his time. Seriously, don't these females ever get tired or take a hint? They're just as persistent as shifter females. I don't know what female species is worse, honestly. 

     Daniel let out an impressed-sounding whistle as he glanced over the crowd, all looking at them(Daniel with eyes of envy, Seongwoo with eyes of a predator staring at its next meal). "Seems you're creating quite a stir with the ladies, bud. You could start your own fan club at this rate."

     "Why are they like that?" Seongwoo whispered, hiding his face from them in case they read his lips and turned into an offended angry mob.

     He still had bad memories of being almost stampeded in town as a cat and as a human, for different reasons. Daniel busted out laughing until he had tears in his eyes and there was likely a dent in the table from how hard he hit it.

     "You seriously don't know?" He giggled.

     Seongwoo shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know~" he said with a shy laugh.

     "Ah, hilarious... Are you a foreigner?" His chuckles died down but he was still grinning.

     "Hmm, kind of. I've been living out of the city my whole life..." Seongwoo answered.

     "Hmm, that makes sense.  Well, let me tell you, you have a face and body that's very popular in Seoul. You look like you just literally stepped out of a magazine..."

     "Is that a good thing?" He wondered out loud, tilting his head and frowning.

     "Is that good? Depends on if you like girls falling at your feet, calling you oppa, willing to do and give you anything. You can have anything you want with that face. You should think of modeling. You will make good money."

     "But why would I make money for my face? Why are those girls acting like that? Do I look strange? Also, what's a model anyway? I've heard it a lot today..." He spat out a bunch of questions, unable to hold back his curiosity, needing to know what all this craziness was about.

     "Ah, I see now! That explains the encyclopedia. I was wondering what you were studying in that big oaf exactly.  You really don't know much, huh? I guess you're not as fluent in Korean as you sound. I can help you with that, and whatever else you need. I enjoy teaching Korean. Plus, you're pretty funny and cute so...."

     Seongwoo's ears went red and he giggled at the sudden compliment. Daniel seemed surprised he had let it slip out and turned a bit red, covering his embarassed smile.

     "I mean, objectively speaking, just guy to guy. You're handsome. That's why they're interested in you. A model is a person who is really tall, handsome, and thin. They take pictures and commercials. It's a really good job because you make a lot of money just standing there looking cool and wearing expensive clothes. You can make hundred a day doing nothing with that handsome face of yours."

     Seongwoo blushed at the compliment. Yes, what he had hoped for had become reality! Cat version Ong may only be pretty in Daniel's eyes but human version Ong was considered model-worthy handsome!

     "If they're annoying you, I can make them go away. I can be scary," the blond suggested kindly.

     Seongwoo giggled behind his hand, unable to imagine the exceptionally kind, dorky, always smiling man who was addicted to noodles and jellies scary at all. "Sure, you can try...but they seem pretty persistent."

     Daniel stood up and puffed out his chest with a serious expression, stomping in the crowd's direction. The girls looked up at the much bigger man, sightly covering and shuffling back.

     "I'm this guy's manager. Pictures are prohibited. I will confiscate your phone if you do it again. Better, leave the premises immediately and there will be no further issues."

     He pretended that he was  talking into an earpiece for 'more security for the crowd situation.' They apologized, waved to Seongwoo calling out 'see you later oppa' and then ran away. The girls totally fell for it. Turned out Daniel's acting skills weren't half bad, but he still wasn't convinced about the scary part.

      Daniel returned back with a smug smirk. "See? Saved your butt, and now you owe me one."

     "You're so funny, Daniel..." Seongwoo slipped out without thinking in the middle of giggling and smacking the desk.

     "Oh, how did you know my name?" Daniel asked with his mouth wide open and a finger pointed directly at him.

     Seongwoo sat up straight and stammered, his heart racing. He flipped through his mind for anything to get him out of this situation without blowing his cover or looking like a stalker. Oh my god, that was so stupid of me~! Why was I born with such a big mouth?

     "Um, I'm a friend of... Jisung's. Your roommate. He talks about you a lot."

     "He does?" Daniel commented doubtfully, a tiny frown appearing on his face.  

     Shoot, is it wierd to say that? Does he not like talking about his mate? Were males liking each other forbidden and needed to be kept secret in the human world too? Why the heck were there so many conservative people in this land...?

     "What sort of things does he say?"

     "Um.. That you're handsome...and your body is nice...and you're kind of immature and foolish in a cute way..." Seongwoo said anything he could think of, adding what Jisung had said himself the other night.

     "Hmm, well, it's not bad at least..." Daniel hummed thoughtfully, tapping a pencil absently on his chin.

     "Why would someone who likes you say something bad? He's your potential mate, so it's obvious he would compliment you," Seongwoo pondered accidently out loud and then blocked his mouth with his fingers.

     Oops, I said too much again. Talking to Daniel as a random stranger human is too difficult. He was used to talking out loud to himself, but Daniel could fully understand him in this body. It had totally slipped his mind.

     "What was that? Jisung likes me? Potential mates? You still have a lot to learn about this country, Seongwoo. Here, we say boyfriend or girlfriend. And Jisung isn't my boyfriend or mate anyway. Actually, I don't have anyone I like these days. I'm a mote solo, as we say in Korea. It means I'm forever alone," he informed Seongwoo with a smile tinted with sadness and that familiar lonely, painful look he'd seen in the boy's  eyes a couple of times when he'd been looking at Jisung and Sungwoon.  

     Seongwoo had assumed that Daniel was lonely and jealous because he liked Jisung, but actually he was just feeling that way from seeing a male-male couple or two humans being intimate in general.

     Seongwoo instinctively moved, forgetting for a second what body he was in. He comforted Daniel with his hand, thinking it was his paw. The yellow-haired boy smiled shyly, looking down at their touching hands, and flushed.

     "You won't be lonely forever, Daniel. You're really handsome and sweet. Someone will notice," he assured, gently squeezing the other's warm long fingers.

     He figured he'd just go with the flow at this point. Daniel didn't seem to hate it, he wasn't pushing him away or removing his hand after all. They sat like that in silence, both of them very aware of their hands touching and their cheeks reddening every second, competing for who was more embarrassed by the sudden skinship.

     Seongwoo was just happy and feeling like Daniel's skin was so incredibly soft, more so than he'd imagined, on his extra sensitive skin. He ran his finger over the back of his hand to feel it more.  It was an addictive velvety, warm sensation. He wanted to touch more of the hand, that was just part of his explorative, curious nature. He always had to touch, smell, or taste things.

      Daniel bit his lip and blinked rapidly. Then he started coughing and pulled his hands away.

     "Are you okay?" Seongwoo asked in concern.

     Don't die! Don't leave me alone! What can I do? Aish, I'm helpless when he gets this way in my human body just like my cat body. It's so frustrating how hopeless I am. But why does he cough so darn often?

     Daniel nodded, still coughing as he reached for his water bottle. He took a gulp and seemed to be physically calming himself. The tint on his cheeks gradually faded but not Seongwoo's yet. He was still too happy to be with his owner in his human form,  getting his full attention, affecting him, being affectionate, and having him fully understand what he was saying for once.

     "I just had something in my throat." Oh, thank god. If it was smaller than a hairball, he'd be alright.

     "So, why don't you have a mate? You seriously never had one? I can't understand why. You're so ..perfect..." he leaned on his hand, looking at the other with a silly, admiring smile.

      Daniel coughed again and then smiled behind his hand, looking down at the paper as he tapped his pencil nervously.

     "Um, it's not that I wasn't wanting it... It's just I have a very special type of mate I prefer, let's say, and the fact is that my life will be complicated if I act on that."

     "Ah, I got it. You like guys too?" Seongwoo replied brightly with a large smile. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, yay, happy dance time~

     "Too? Um, yes, me too... But that's just our secret, okay? Not even my family knows..." He whispered, his face redder.

     Seongwoo nodded with a serious look. "I promise I won't say it. Well, I'm not keeping it much of a secret. People in my... country...and my conservative parents, well, they don't approve. It's not even thinkable. I've never seen a male-male pairing in my life around my home. It's as good as a death sentence, it's that unacceptable."

     "Not at all? That's worse than here. It's not common and the people could get ostracized and bullied terribly. But it's not illegal. So you haven't had anyone either..."

     Seongwoo felt closer to Daniel after this. They had obviously shared the same experiences and doubts. So, he decided to let slip a bit about the darkness in his past.

     "I ran away from home after I told my parents. Or they might have beat me bad or worse, exhiled me..."

     "Wow, that's rough. I don't think my parents would beat me or kick me out on the street, but they would be so disappointed. And sad they will never get grandkids. I confessed to a guy once in elementary school. Everyone found out about it and some assholes started bullying me. I switched schools and didn't tell anyone why exactly it was happening. Since then I've kept it secret.."

     "Aw, I'm sorry you had to go through that. How horrible. So that's why you've never confessed again?" Seongwoo asked, somehow feeling delighted about that last idea of his.

     Daniel had also never had a mate. He was...clean, untouched, and innocent. Just like himself. Seongwoo had never admitted he was attracted to any males in his species though(until his parents). He'd obviously never courted with one of them either. That would be suicide.

     "I haven't liked anyone enough to be foolish to try. Maybe if I got love sick, I'd attempt. I have never met a guy who felt worth the risk."

     "What about me?" Seongwoo was tempted to joke.

     But then he remembered they were from separate worlds. It wouldn't be easy for them to be mates while he had to keep his identity a secret. If Daniel invited him to his room one day, it would be a big issue with Daniel realizing the cat was gone and Seongwoo would have to help search for himself. Unfortunately, it just wasn't meant to be. He could only hope to become his study buddy. Ah, how I wish I was born into your world or could easily become a permanent part of it...

     "Hey, when are you free? I want to learn more about this country and the language. But I could really use someone when I have questions. Can we study together here at the library every once in awhile?"

     "Sure. I'm usually here around this time. Give me your kakao ID," Daniel said with a bright smile and friendly tone.

     "Sorry, I don't have a phone yet," Seongwoo replied,  guessing a 'kakao eye dee' had something to do with phone contact information, though he'd never heard of that. 

     "Must not have been here long...no problem. We can just set a date beforehand. See you same time same place tomorrow?"

     "Sure!" He responded cheerfully.

      But neither of them made a move to get up. Rather they went back to their studies, occasionally sharing a smile when they caught the other's gaze in the middle of glancing over.

     Occasionally Seongwoo would take advantage of the situation to tap Daniel's arm or hand in the slightest initiation of skinship. He would ask Daniel some question about what he found in the encyclopedia or randomly recalled. He would describe something and Daniel would give him the word and show the spelling. Then Seongwoo would look it up and research more about it. If he had further questions, Daniel would kindly, slowly answer and sometimes he gave even more information while showing pictures from his phone.

     Daniel chuckled sometimes at the things Seongwoo didn't know, asking exactly what third-world country was he from that he didn't have that kind of thing. Then, Seongwoo would feel rather ashamed at how uncultured he seemed, worried Daniel would see him a negative light and think he was uncool.

     But when Daniel noticed the boy was embarrassed, he would ruffle his hair or pinch his cheek, going "Aigoo, such a cutie~!" This made Seongwoo smile, giggle, and flush continuously. He does the same thing to me in cat form! I guess he really thinks I'm cute and likes messing up my fur. I should be angry, but..if it's Daniel, I don't mind so much a few stray strands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter was quite a bit over the promised no more than 5,000 word mark. I just had so many things I wanted to say from Seongwoo's POV I got carried away and after I wrote it, I couldn't delete anything because it turned out well. I was going to have just them in the library but then I thought I would give you guys a preview about Daniel's reaction to Seongwoo's handsomeness. Well, the entire school thinks he's the hottest thing that walked the planet. Which isn't far from reality because whenever Seongwoo is on TV shows, females and males comment often about how handsome he is, even before saying much else. It's why he's quite full of himself in the looks department(But he never brags or seems arrogant somehow, I can just tell he doesn't have any look complexes, he's very confident in a good way not a bad way). I think he gets overwhelmed by attention like this as well and I love his shyness and how he's always extra polite to fans and admirers. So, there's a bit more realisim with his character when Ong's in human form and I will try to stick to that. Ong cat is a bit more diva-like and playful and not as polite(cat's nature I guess).
> 
> Things you learned about Ong today: he's never mated, he's a quick learner, he loves showers, he loves styling his hair perfectly just like he is with his fur as a cat, his favorite song is A Part of Your World, he's very fond of Daniel, he thinks Daniel is cheesy in a cute way, his name is unusual and hard for people to recall, he looks like a model and all the girls are totally bonkers for him, he loves studying, in the past he was often bothered by female cats so he doesn't like females much in either species, he likes being called handsome more than pretty, he often licks his lips and has a funny blink just like his cat form, he thought for a long time that Dan and Jisung were mates, he thinks Daniel is cutesome(cute and handsome), Ong was bullied and nearly exhiled from liking male shifters and his parents kept forcing him to try to mate, in the shifter world they have courting and mating season twice a year(this is connected to being in heat, later more will be revealed about that), he really likes watching Daniel, he's extremely naive and innocent, he likes touching Daniel in his human form, he wishes he could kiss Daniel in his human form, being gay in shifter society is next to a crime, he blushes and smiles a ton.
> 
> Things you learned about Daniel: he likes to stare at human Ong, he's very funny and kind, he likes helping others and teaching Korean, he eats jellies even when he studies(find it so funny tho that he said recently he quit because the dentist told him his teeth were rotting, I totally called that a few weeks ago didn't I?), he has never dated anyone, he is strongly affected by Ong human's touch, Daniel finds Ong cute handsome and funny, he is not attracted to Jisung in any remote way, he thinks he's going to be forever alone, he finds Seongwoo hilarious(who doesn't, even when he's trying to be serious I find him funny~).
> 
> I know this was the chapter that everyone has been waiting for. I hope it didn't come too early or too late? I also like many of you do like a slow burn story. I thought it would be nice to have them meet as humans but Daniel is totally clueless. Also, different from my other story, I decided to have these guys pretty much fall in love at first sight. I kind of regretted not doing that because at the time with my other story I was just going down a bromance path. I decided to put them in a relationship quite a bit later. This time, I have plans from the beginning, though it will be a slow, building, romantic relationship rather than a smutty, emotionally charged, conflicting one. Now you all know that they are both gay and have suffered in different ways because of it and that both of them have never had a relationship or even a kiss hehe. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. I put a lot of time into writing it so that it would be the perfect amount of fluffy, cute, funny, romantic, sweet and exciting. When I re-read it, I felt my own heart racing even knowing what was coming next, so I think that's a good sign.
> 
> Next chapter will be in the library from Daniel's POV, some of this will be included and then some things that happen after where this chapter left off. Also, Minhwan and 2sung will be returning~ See you soon! Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!


	7. Takes Ten Seconds to Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel and Seongwoo's first human-sort of human meeting from Daniel's point of view. Daniel gives a whole new definition to love at first sight. Be prepared to coo and aw at all the fluffy cotton candy because Daniel's got it really bad for him from the get go.

(A/N: Daniels POV is not going to cover everything that occured and was said. I decided to only have his POV about the parts that were really memorable and important in terms of their relationship and back story. The quoted spaced out parts are things that were taken directly from the last chapter and then Daniel's thoughts are followed immediately by that. Later Daniel's thoughts are in orange. Hope it's not too confusing. Other parts in the beginning and the middle before we switch back to Ong!cat are new things not revealed last chapter)

 

(Back to when Daniel was in the middle of a phone call with Jaehwan, before Ong came to his table)

 

"Yeah, anyways. I will text you in a few hours when I'm home. We'll eat pizza and do the assignment. Minhyun? Sure, I dont mind. But our room's pretty small...No, you don't need to bring a chair. Just sit on the floor. Who cares if your butt hurts? Jae, I'm pretty sure you won't get a slipped disk from sitting on the floor for an hour or so, get a grip. Talk later, Jaehwan. Seriously, I've got mountains to tackle! Bye! Stop, wait, ugh, why the hell are you sin--Hanging up now!"

Daniel hung up with Jaehwan in the middle of the wierdo singing some new song and turned back to his Calculus book, which was a bloody foreign language to him. It was so hard he had nightmares about it every time he tried to do his homework. How did anybody possibly understand how to solve these problems? The formulas and steps were complicated, seemingly endless, and he got them all confused halfway through with some other one. To solve one problem, he used up two pieces of paper, for God's sake! Since he hadn't been doing it, he now had ten problems he needed to turn in by Friday or he'd fail the class for sure since homework was over fifty percent of the grade.

Jaehwan had offered to help him later when he visited, but first Daniel wanted to try it himself. He had his manly pride to protect, after all. Several minutes later, which felt like years of torture to him, he threw down his pencil with a long rain of curse words floating around in his head. Forget it! I'll just flunk and join a different major, like dance. That sounds a hell of a lot easier and more entertaining.

All of a sudden Daniel felt a sudden impulse to look forward, his gaze being pulled to the person in front of him like magnetism. He almost gasped out loud and jumped out of his chair, but luckily he had strong control of his emotions.

There, sitting before him, was the most ethereally beautiful yet incredibly, movie-actor level handsome man he had ever seen. His brunette hair was glistening, wavy, and absolutely perfect like he'd styled it for an hour and got regular treatments. His skin was flawless and pale like snow almost, yet he was still clearly Asian. His eyes had the longest lashes ever that seemed to dance along his prominent cheekbones as he shifted his line of sight across the page.

He was thin but not unhealthy, so his skin hugged his face enough to show how artisticly sculpted every feature of his face was like his sharp, square jawline and his up-turned, tall nose. Even slouching with his arms bent around the thick book, Daniel could tell he was exceptionally proportioned with an elongated chest and long, thin limbs. The angle he was at was just slightly tilted to his left, not straight on, as if he was literally posing for a photoshoot and knew his most appealing angle. His nicely shaped, longated pink lips reminded him of a cat the way he seemed to permanently be smiling with the slightly tilted corners.

The ethereal man giggled and flushed a bit, almost like a child sneakily reading bathroom jokes his parents would say was naughty of him to see if they discovered him. Daniel flushed and his heart started racing as he stared more and more. It had taken him ten seconds only to feel his heart was completely stolen and forget how to breathe.

This guy is fine as hell. What is air...?

Daniel noticed other people were thinking the same thing. He had half an eye on the man who seemed absorbed in something interesting, a quarter of another on his paper, and the other quarter on the slowly gathering crowd of girls, whispering, giggling and snapping secret photos with their phones. He chuckled as he noticed the boy was diligently reading the encyclopedia...upside down.

Aw, this guy is too freaking precious. I want to put him in my pocket.

 

~.~.~.~.~.~

 

"Hey.... Sorry to interrupt your studies, but do you know you're reading upside down?" 

"Oh, I'm just practicing reading this way. its more fun and it keeps me awake." 

 

When the boy spoke, Daniel felt a shiver trickle down his spine like he was butter being melted. The boy's voice was like a breezy, sweet, musical melody. He ended up bringing up more things to talk about so he could hear that lovely voice. 

 

~.~.~.~.~.~

 

"You won't be lonely forever, Daniel. You're really handsome and sweet. Someone will notice." 

 

When the boy touched his hand in comfort, Daniel thought his heart was strapped to a rocket and blasted off to the moon. He felt embarrassed people around could hear the loud beating sound. He felt like a hot, electric pulse was shooting through his body from his hand up. He wanted to shy away but a larger part of him didn't want to budge. He looked away, hoping his reaction wasn't as clear as he felt it was. Just skinship from any guy affected him, but a handsome, kind, fresh and innocent guy like this? 

I can't control my feelings at all!

 

~.~.~.~.~.~

 

"Why would someone who likes you say something bad? He's your potential mate, so it's obvious he would compliment you."

 

That whole thing about mates and the boy thinking Daniel was with Jisung was the comical highlight of the conversation. What a doozy, the idea of me and Jisung! Jisung was quite a bit older than him for one. For two, Jisung felt more like a mother to him already. He even cleaned up his room regularly these days, nagged him to do his homework, to take care of his skin, and to stop eating jellies before his teeth started rotting. He even helped care for Seongwoo by cleaning out his litter bix and making sure to always have the water dish full. Daniel couldn't imagine anything romantic happening with Jisung, even if he didn't already have his teddy bear, Sungwoon.

 

~.~.~.~.~.~

 

"So, why don't you have a mate? You seriously never had one? I can't understand why. You're so ...perfect..." 

 

Especially he liked the part of that topic of their conversation when Seongwoo complimented Daniel and he said that he would find someone special. Daniel had been really tempted to ask 'can it be you'? or 'are you volunteering?'

Daniel had dreamed of his first boyfriend a lot and Seongwoo matched his description perfectly. Smart, caring, cute, kind, innocent, naive, bright, friendly, handsome. He'd never met someone who fit all of his ideals to a tee. He was a picky guy and he'd pretty much given up on guys even containing half of his characteristics wish list. If they didn't have those things, he would never be able to risk being horrifically bullied again for the sake of that person.

Until today. Oh, what a freaking perfect day today is... 

 

~.~.~.~.~.~

 

The boy needed a lot of explanation about words. It went beyond just a language barrier though. He didn't know some of the strangest, most basic things. Like, what a toothbrush or an amusement park was. Daniel was shocked by it. He really wondered what kind of place the boy came from that didn't have these mundane things. Was he raised in Africa or the Amazon, for crying out loud?

Yet the boy seemed ashamed when he was just genuinely asking not teasing, so he decided to let it slip. The boy must have some reason for not revealing his hometown, he figured, and he would respect that. Daniel also felt embarrassment sometimes from where he was from. People had some strongly embedded stereotypes about Busan guys he didn't agree with or fit into.

"Aigoo, such a cutie~!

Daniel initiated a little skinship by ruffling Seongwoo's hair, hoping the boy didn't mind, but he likely didn't(except he hurried to straighten it back to it's perfect wave). Seongwoo smiled wider, giggled and got red. He was pretty touchy feely too, but then again he was a foreigner so it might not mean something special. With Daniel, it did. He only did skinship with people he thought were cool or attractive. He was looking for any excuse to touch Seongwoo because he was immensely so.

 

~.~.~.~.~.~

 

"Um, it's not that I wasn't wanting it... It's just I have a very special type of mate I prefer, let's say, and the fact is that my life will be complicated if I act on that."

"Ah, I got it. You like guys too?" 

"Too? Um, yes, me too..." 

 

When he found out the boy was the same as him, Daniel was ecstatic. He was the first person Daniel had ever confessed to and luckily, he wouldn't need to worry about being ratted out or teased. He wasn't sure what made him do it, but there was something so innocent, honest, and sincere about the boy. Daniel felt like he could tell him anything and before he knew it, he had spilled out half his heart and dark past.

Daniel noticed some things about the boy as they studied and occasionally chatted. He was so intrigued by watching him that he started to make a list, especially those things he noted were exceptionally cute. 

 

Interesting, Amazing, and Adorable things about Mystery Library Hunk

* One, he frequently licks his lips like they are dry.

* Two, he seems to like to smell and touch things.

* Three, he often does this funny blink where he squeezes his eyes shut tight for a full second and scrunches up his nose. My cat does the same.

* Four, he likes skinship.

* Five, when he reads something interesting, he hums. His singing voice is breathtaking.

* Six, he tilts his head slightly when he is confused or thinking. It is killer adorable. 

* Seven, he often touches his hair like he's obsessed with it being neat. One time even wetting his hand with a lick. That also reminds me of my cat.

* Eight, he is distracted by and enjoys fidgeting with long, thin objects. If a pen rolls by, he swats at it and then twiddles it around like it's a toy not a writing utensil. 

 

~.~.~.~.~.~

 

"Hey, when are you free? I want to learn more about this country and the language. But I could really use someone when I have questions. Can we study together here at the library every once in awhile?"

 

Daniel was trying not to get his hopes up since they had just met, but after the boy had suggested meeting again, he started thinking maybe it was alright to. That was sort of like a date then, right? The boy had smiled at him a ton, complimented him, comforted him, laughed at his jokes, and touched his hand. That certainly seemed like he was interested. Daniel wondered if he had been too obvious about his feelings to scare him away or just the right amount to hook him in further. He was already imagining his first boyfriend, his first date, his first kiss, his first time ...

Daniel blushed as dirty thoughts filled his mind. That really didn't suit this boy. He seemed sweet in a childlike, pure sense. Daniel couldn't picture him doing naughty things. He put a firm lid on his inner pervert. If it turned out he was liking him as much in return as Daniel currently was, he was going to woo him slow, gentle, and romantically. He certainly wasn't going to go full force like he had his first train wreck of a confession with a guy he had barely known a week. He was going to cherish and be careful with his feelings this time, let them grow by carefully nurturing them.

 

~.~.~.~.~.~

 

(A/N: continuing from where they are just about to say goodbye )

 

"You didn't tell me your name, by the way?" Daniel asked while the boy packed up to leave.

The boy had said he needed to go do homework for his fashion class. Fashion sure suited someone as nice looking, clean, and modelesque as him. The boy hesitated, making Daniel's heart drop. Is he going to give me a fake name and stand me up? But why? No way! I thought we clicked. We even shared our deepest, darkest secrets! Daniel chomped on his lip and drummed his fingers on his leg, nervously holding his breath out of fear of his biggest dream crashing before he had even gotten a taste of it.

"My name is... strange, so listen closely."

Daniel sighed in relief and prepared to listen carefully.

The boy's face was very serious. "My name is....Ong Seongwoo. Not Hong, but Ong. Not Gong, but Ong. Not Oong, but Ong. Ong Seongwoo."

Daniel's mouth dropped and then he laughed at the coincidence. What an amazing chance, two beings walk into my life and brighten my lonely days, with almost the same name?

"Funny coincidence. My cat's name is Seongwoo too!"

Seongwoo looked away and blushed. Then, he laughed awkwardly like 'hehehe', scratching under his chin.

"That is a funny coincidence. I love cats, by the way~"

"Really, me too! You have one?"

"Oh, I've had lots. A whole family in fact. But none now..."

Somehow, there seemed to be a mischievous sparkle in his big, pretty, dark brown eyes as if he had a joke he was keeping to himself. Daniel decided he would have to get closer with him so the boy could share his jokes. He loved to laugh and he had a feeling the boy would be pretty funny.

Not that he had a problem with what he'd seen already with him being exceptionally adorable, his naivety and quirky actions, or his inhuman good looks. That was already adequate enough reason for Daniel to be crushing pretty hard(harder on anyone in his life). He just had a feeling there was a lot of layers to this attractive foreigner and he'd barely even scratched the surface. He desperately wanted to start peeling and learning more.

They waved and said goodbye with large, friendly smiles. As Seongwoo left, Daniel got shot some jealous glares from Seongwoo's admirers who had been watching them like stalkers from afar. He chuckled as he went back to his work, feeling in much better spirits from his magical encounter.

 

~.~.~.~.~.~

 

Daniel was still feeling the happy high from meeting the handsome mystery boy when he got home. He was singing to himself as he went in the dorm room. Jisung was surprisingly home first with Sungwoon. They jumped away from each other, both sitting on the bed, and wiped their lips with the back of their hands.

Daniel figured they must have been kissing. He didn't even feel jealous. Someday, hopefully soon, he would have his own special someone to sneak into the dorrms and secretly kiss. Now he felt he could be genuinely happy for the couple and cheer them on.

"Don't mind me guys. Continue, continue~" he said brightly, slamming the door shut and dancing his way to the bed.

Seongwoo danced happily as well around his feet, brushing against his legs and meowing a warm greeting. Daniel threw his bag down on the floor and picked up the cat under his arms. He lifted him high above his head like Simba in the movie The Lion King.

"Hi, Seongwoo, did you have a good day too?" he asked warmly.

The cat meowed in agreement. Daniel spun him around a few times. Then, he plopped a huge, noisy smooch on his mouth.

"What's gotten into you? You're so unusually bubbly today," Jisung teased with a laugh. "Seongwoo must be feeling sick now from all that spinning. Poor baby~ Better get him a paper bag in case he yaks."

"Oh, sorry buddy! You okay?" Daniel asked worriedly. The cat meowed heartily, seeming very pleased to see him and not the least bit sick.

"Aw~ Look at this face. He's so happy to see me." He turned the cat so it was facing the others, and then jumped onto his bed.

The cat climbed into his lap, jumped up on his chest and gave him nudges, nibbles, and licks. He pet and scratched Seongwoo as he explained his amazing library encounter.

"Hmm. I think I know who you're talking about. I didn't realize he's your type. You don't find him a bit boring or a bit, you know, aged looking?" Jisung asked after listening to his story.

Daniel laughed, still absently petting the cat who had frozen on his lap, seeming to look between them back and forth with interest and slight anxiety. "What are you talking about? The Seongwoo I met was really interesting and he looked like a model. Handsome, tall, and super thin but not in an unhealthy way."

"Hmm, if you say so. I guess we all see what we want to see when we're in love."

"I'm not in love with him! I just think he's...unique. I want to be his friend and help him get adapted, that's all."

Daniel flushed and tossed a pillow in embarassed frustration at Jisung. Jisung caught it and threw it harshly back. Seongwoo meowed in complaint as it hit him and hurriedly jumped up from Daniel's lap.

"That's what you keep saying but you're not fooling me, Dan. You've never had a girl over since we started rooming like five months ago."

"Maybe I'm busy..." Daniel retorted. He threw the pillow at Jisung's head.

"Or maybe you like guys. Guys like Seongwoo." Jisung caught it and tossed two back.

"Maybe you're crazy and asking for a beating." Daniel threw three in rapid succession.

The pillow fight started in earnest from then as the boys declared all-out war. Seongwoo scurried away and hid in the corner of the room to avoid the flying pillows. The doorbell rang in the middle of the climax with Daniel currently winning. He climbed off of Jisung who was curled up on the bed, covering his head from the slaps of the pillow.

"Oh, guests! That means pizza!" Sungwoon jumped up to get the door.

"Woah, what happened here? World War Three?" Jaehwan asked, coming in with two large, flat cardboard boxes. Sungwoon eagerly took it and set it on a fold up table.

"Pillow fight. Jisung started it. I ended it." Daniel smiled proudly, greeting Jaehwan with a bro shake and shoulder bump.

"Sweet~" Jaehwan praised him. He loved hearing about fights and he was impressed by Daniel's physique. 

Minhyun was already cleaning up the room. He had OCD, a terrible case of it. He couldn't stand to leave any room messy if he was going to be in it for more than ten minutes. He wouldn't be able to focus on any work or conversation because he would stare at the mess constantly.

"You shouldn't start fights with Dan, Jisung. You know you can't win. He's a monster, and you're a hamster," Minhyun chided like their father.

"Hey, I resent that," Daniel pouted in offense. "I'm a nice guy like a puppy. See my sweet smile~"

"How dare you call me a hamster, Minhyun? You're too much!" Jisung huffed with a pout and crossed arms(an action not suiting his age).

"Speaking of animals, where is that pretty cat?" Jaehwan asked excitedly, looking around the bed and under it.

"Knowing my mischievous Seongwoo, he's probably..." Daniel looked immediately at the pizza boxes and chuckled softly.

Like he'd suspected, the pretty Bengal had headed straight for the pizza boxes, because he always just had to smell any foreign objects in the room. They watched as the big, brown coated, green eyed cat pawed at and bit the corner of a box, trying to get to the source of the yummy smell.

"Aw, too cute! Hey Seongwoo. I'm Jaehwanie~ Let's be friends," he squatted down on all fours and started meowing at the cat.

Seongwoo stopped chewing on the box and stood back on the floor. He looked at Jaehwan and cocked his head left and right curiously, like 'what is this wierd man saying....'

"What are you doing, you wierdo?" Minhyun kicked him in the bum and snorted. 

"Even Seongwoo knows you're a freak. Look at his face!"

The cat ignored Jaehwan's out stretched hand with an expression of total disinterest and turned to Minhyun. He rubbed up against his legs with a happy, friendly look like he was saying 'hello there, handsome~' Minhyun picked him up and scratched his belly, cooing at him like he was suddenly in love. Apparently, Minhyun liked cats, too. The cat closed his eyes with happiness and kept looking up at him through slitted eyes as if entranced by his good looks.

"Yokshi, Seongwoo has good taste. He only is nice to handsome guys," Jisung said with a smug grin.

"Who's the handsomest though? Should we do a game to see who he goes to?" Jaehwan suggested eagerly, loving games second to physical fights. He's the one that suggested their arm wrestling matches and drinking games last weekend.

"No need to. This cat is attached to Daniel like the red string of fate. He will always go to Dan first," Sungwoon jutted in, already diving for the pizza box while the others were delaying.

Jisung nodded, giving a look with narrowed eyes at Sungwoon about eating first. Daniel chuckled and smiled shyly, scratching under his eyebrow.

"Well, I don't know about how I would be in the handsome ranking, but I just play with him more. That's the trick. Seongwoo is really playful compared to most cats. He sleeps when we're in class and then the rest of the day after we're home, he wants to play. Jisung gets tired or busy with work and hanging out with Sungwoon, so the brunt of playtime goes to me."

"He's not noisy? I thought cats meow a lot and knock things over at night," Minhyun asked, now brushing the cat's fuzzy, tiny paws with curious fingers.

"He is pretty quiet. He knows when he can meow and when he shouldn't. Often he answers you, like he understands and can converse. At night, he even lays down when Daniel says it's time to sleep. He's the most well-behaved, intelligent cat I've ever seen," Jisung praised, scratching the cat affectionately under the chin.

Seongwoo lifted his chin, closed his eyes, and twitched his tail in pure bliss.

Jaehwan watched with a dorky grin and mimicked his purring rather realistically. "He's so cute. I call dibs on cat sitting!"

"He's heavy though, that's for sure. Don't feed him your jellies and ramen in the middle of the night anymore," Minhyun teased.

Jisung often caught Daniel eating in the middle of the night and nagged about it throughout the next few days randomly, so everyone knew about his unhealthy habits. But Daniel couldn't help that he woke up starving in the middle of the night and couldn't go back to sleep. Seongwoo stopped twitching his tail and glared at Minhyun as if to say 'you better not be saying what I think you're saying...' Daniel laughed and took the slightly growling cat away before he scared Minhyun. The cat was harmless but his glares and growling looked quite threateningly fierce. 

"He's not calling you fat, Seongwoo. Chill out. You're just a naturally big proportioned cat. It's all bone and muscle. He's actually very lean," Daniel comforted and defended the cat, holding him close and scratching his neck.

Seongwoo's expression eased instantly when his owner touched and spoke soothingly to him. He gave Daniel a kiss on the cheek in thanks, back to purring and happy tail twitching even more enthusiastically.

"See? Hes an exclusive Daniel fan, like I said," Sungwoon joked with his mouth full.

"Hey, you already had three pieces, you pig! You should wait for others, plus you're on a diet!" Jisung rushed over and snatched the pizza slice away, swatting his shoulder.

Sungwoon flashed a guilty childish grin as he munched, his stuffed cheeks making him look like Hamtaro. "Sorry but I was hungry and you guys were only paying attention to the cat. The pizza was calling to me that it was lonely."

"You are so full of bullshit. What about those abs that win over Daniel's you promised, huh?" Jisung hit him harder and huffed.

After that, they sat down on the floor to eat the pizza before it turned cold. Seongwoo stayed next to Daniel, pawing at him to give him food. Daniel would break off a piece of the pizza and feed it to him in tiny pieces with his fingers. They commented on how well the cat ate human food and Daniel explained that Seongwoo liked human food better than his own food. He was always mooching off Daniel, though Jisung constantly nagged him not to spoil him like that. When Seongwoo begged with that cute face and sweet meows, Daniel couldn't help it.

"I'm a marshmallow when it comes to cat aegyo. Just watch," he admitted.

He tried to resist Seongwoo this time telling him, "No, its all mine, no more for you, pretty boy."

The cat pouted and looked at the ground for a minute. Daniel knew he wasn't giving up, but rather thinking of a strategy. Then, he put his front paws on Daniel's arm and stared up at Daniel, then to the pizza with big, pleading, actually teary eyes. He went back and forth as Daniel tried hard not to look. Then, he started giving the most pathetic weak mews like he was saying 'I'm starving, please just one more, one little teeny one, please~'

Jisung commented, "point proven," as Daniel gave in to the cat's scheme in under three minutes to everyone's amusement. "This guy is really weak to anything cute."

Jisung shook his finger in mock scolding and Daniel grinned shyly. He couldn't deny it. Especially he had a huge weak spot for the cuteness Seongwoo displayed. He bumped his nose on the cat's affectionately. "So precious."

"I don't think that I could resist it either. He's so flipping cute. Where can I get me one of these awesome cats?" Jaehwan beamed, reaching over to sneak a pat at Seongwoo while he was distracted with chomping on a piece of pepperoni.

"I think Seongwoo must have been an actor in his past life. That was an impressive show. He totally took a few seconds there to get into character," Minhyun added with a chuckle, reaching over to pat the cat too. Minhyun and Jaehwan brushed hands and blushed.

 

~.~.~.~.~.~

 

The topic eventually turned to Daniel's mystery man, but he wasn't the one that brought it up. Minhyun was.

"I saw something interesting on the school forum. Today there was chaos in the library. Tons of girls flooded into the library and people couldn't study. They apparently followed this new guy from the fashion department. Girls were there, commenting he was the most handsome guy they'd ever seen. Super tall, handsome, kind, and cute. He's not from Seoul but he speaks Korean well. Did you hear anything?"

"I think someone here knows. Daniel talked to him today..." Jisung giggled.

"You did? Was he really as handsome as an idol?"

Daniel flushed, deciding not to comment about just how ridiculously handsome the boy was to this group. He wasn't sure they were all trustworthy. He wasn't sure yet if Minhyun and Jaehwan were gay. If he was, that might be a different story.

"I didn't notice. I just helped him with some Korean he was studying."

"Oh, I know him. He's my friend!" Jaehwan bragged out of the blue. No one believed him when he got like that though because he had a tendency to fib.

"Jaehwan, stop lying. You don't know him. You're not even in the fashion department," Jisung retorted, rolling his eyes and scoffing.

Jaehwan crossed his arms and pouted. Daniel noticed Minhyun watching him with a slight, amused grin. "Do too know him! He works as a barista."

"Really? What's he look like then?" Jisung challenged.

Jaehwan's description partially matched but it wasn't giving off the right feeling Daniel felt. It was too generic. The boy was incredibly unique, to the point of being almost indescribable by just the words he knew. 

"Was he pretty to the point of being ethereally glowing and making your heart feel like it had stopped and yet flew away at the same time?" he asked.

They all gave Daniel a strange look and fell into silence. The cat at his side seemed to snicker while licking his cheesy paw. Even Seongwoo seemed to kn ow he was obviously in love at first sight. He flushed deeply.

"Um, I'm not sure you can describe a human guy that way..." Minhyun commented.

"Why do you have an interest in this foreign newbie, huh? You never take an interest in anyone. It's been months and we're your only friends and we had to force ourselves on you," Jaehwan pressed with interest.

"No reason in particular..." Daniel lied coolly with a shrug.

"He has the hots for him. He is going to see him tomorrow for a date in the library. Just wait a few days and we can all meet him at our dorm room..." Jisung teased. "As Daniel's boyfriend~"

"I told you it's not like that. Would you knock it off?" He smacked Jisung's leg.

"And I told you, you don't fool me. I can see it totally is like that and you're just being shy," He stuck out his tongue and smacked Daniel's leg back.

Then, another pillow fight occurred, this time all of them getting involved after Jaehwan playfully hit Minhyun and Jisung accidently hit Sungwoon. Seongwoo watched from the safety of the bed in case of getting trampled. It was quite an amusing, entertaining sight. Luckily, Seongwoo survived without getting his tail stepped on. 

 

~.~.~.~.~.~

 

They settled down and talked about their classes, especially bad mouthing and mimicking the older teachers they didn' like. After the cola and pizza were gone, they were stuffed and too tired to talk. Sungwoon grabbed Jisung and insisted they nap so they went to Jisung's bed. Minhyun cleaned up voluntarily, even doing dishes.

Daniel and Jaehwan started working on their coding assignment. After cleaning, Minhyun played with Seongwoo until the cat got tired and took a nap in his lap. They were almost through when Minhyun said he had better get going to do his own assignment. Seongwoo followed him to the door, meowing sadly like 'don't go yet~ you're such a nice, handsome pillow!'

Jaehwan gave him a sad look. "Why don't you do it here?"

Minhyun smiled softly, a warmer look in his eyes as they looked at each other, and patted his shoulder. "If that's what you want. I'll be back in a bit."

Daniel smiled wide, happily observing the sweet moment occurring before him. Apparently something had changed subtly beteeen them and their dynamic after that drunken game kiss. He liked where this was going. If he had four gay friends, then he might just finally feel comfortable admitting his secret. Then, someday when he had a boyfriend, they could all hang out and he wouldn't be the lonely, miserable third wheel anymore.

He found himself imagining Ong Seongwoo in his home. How great would it be if that future boyfriend was him. Seongwoo and him spooning on the bed, Seongwoo and him holding hands properly, Seongwoo and him sharing a cheesy pizza tasting kiss. Daniel kept his fingers crossed for tomorrow to go as perfectly as today.

"It's alright. I can finish up on my own. Go ahead and go home."

They seemed grateful. He didn't close the door right away and was rewarded with a precious sight. Minhyun grabbed Jaehwan's hand and asked him if he was tired from the assignment. Jaehwan blushed and nodded. Minhyun pecked him on the cheek and asked if he felt better. Jaehwan nodded again and smiled wide.

Daniel giggled as he closed the door. He giggled some more when he saw Jisung and Sungwoon still spooning on the bed, fast asleep, Jisung using Sungwoon's arm as a pillow, Sungwoon's arm wrapped around Jisung's stomach.

His friends were getting closer to being official. He felt genuinely happy for them. They made cute couples. He sat back at the desk to work on his assignment.

The cat jumped up with a curious, friendly meow. Daniel stopped typing with one hand to pet the cat's back. Seongwoo sat next to him and watched as he input binary numbers, which obviously meant nothing to him. Honestly, Daniel barely understood much either though he'd been studying it for months.

He glanced over at the cat who had his head tilted and his eyes swiveling back and forth, following the input lines with interest. He made a chirp-like sound and Daniel interpreted it as 'what on earth are those things?'

"These are words for computers. We can communicate with the computer like this and to other computers all around the world."

He had no idea why he was bothering to explain binary numbers to a cat but somehow he felt the cat really wanted to know. Seongwoo was intelligent and full of curiousity. Daniel caught him often observing him and Jisung, like he was trying to figure out what they were doing and memorizing their movements.

Seongwoo squinted, looking more confused. Well, it was probably that he didn't know what a computer or communicating meant.

"Forget it. It's boring stuff." Daniel chuckled and scratched the cat's head.

After that, Seongwoo wanted more pets but Daniel went back to typing. The Bengal rubbed his face along his hand, then his arm, and then his shoulder. Daniel ignored him because he was tired and he wanted to get this done as quick as possible. Then, he let out a huff as the cat was suddenly climbing on his shoulders, brushing his tickly whiskers and wet nose on Daniel's neck and ears. He put the cat down on the floor, apologizing and promising to pet him soon. The cat looked at him with a glare like 'if you don't pay attention to me, there's going to be consequences.'

Then, the cat jumped up a few minutes later and laid on his keyboard. The monitor went crazy with a ton of letters and symbols filling up the screen rapidly.

"Hey~" Daniel half-laughed, half-exclaimed in frustration, looking at the cat with his hands at his waist.

Seongwoo merely laid there, staring up at Daniel with a mischievious twinkle in his green eyes and the slightest crooked grin that looked unbelievable smug. He seemed to be saying 'I warned you something would happen if you didn't listen~'

"Okay troublemaker, I will give you five minutes and that's it," Daniel said sternly.

Then, he picked up the cat and brought him over to the bed. He sat down and grabbed the cat brush. Seongwoo jumped up, excitedly meowing immediately. It was his new favorite thing. The cat loved being brushed but usually Jisung did it. Jisung said the cat liked to have a perfect, glistening coat and it was the perfect way not to shed hair all over their place.

Daniel took the small cat brush and ran the metal spikes over the cat's back. The cat moved its body in a wave as the brush slid down, trying to press up into it as hard as he could. He was nearly closing his eyes, purring, and slowly twitching his tail in sign of utter delight.

"You sure like this, don't you?" Daniel commented with amusement.

'Obviously, don't you know how amazing this feels~' he seemed to reply in response. Daniel had used it once out of curiosity on his own hair but it had tangled easily and the metal hurt. Cats must enjoy it since they had thicker, shorter fur, he figured. He brushed the cat until he laid down and started to doze off, then he tiptoed back to his desk, careful not to wake the needy troublemaker up again.

"I'm such a softie. Why can't I ever say no to his cute face?" Daniel murmured, shaking his head in disbelief.

He deleted all the random letters Seongwoo had input. Then, he concentrated hard and worked as fast as he could to complete the assignment. He couldn't guarantee the quality but at least it was done, he thought as he stretched his arms over his head and yawned.

He looked over to see Seongwoo was still asleep. He showered and hurried to join the furball in bed. He had to wake Seongwoo up who was in the way, curled up in the middle of the bed. The cat mewed softly in complaint and turned sleepy eyes grumpily on him as if to say 'dont move me, five more minutes, hey I was comfortable there'.

"Sorry, buddy. You know I have a big body. If you sleep in the middle, you will be squished. You're not exactly tiny either..."

The bed was a single sized bed and Seongwoo tended to hog it when they slept side by side. He often stretched out and laid sideways, sometimes laying across Daniel's body. 

He moved the cat as gently as possible up to the pillow and set him back down. Seongwoo curled up again and closed his eyes, using his tail as a pillow and blanket at the same time.

Daniel then crawled in the warm bed and brought the blankets up. He laid on his side and pet the cat's bum, watching him sleep with a soft, affectionate grin. He could hear the soft exhales and content purrs from the cat. It seemed Seongwoo was extra exhausted today. Maybe he had run around the room a lot today. 

"Seongwoo, huh...how do you have the same name, hmm? You're both unique, sweet, pretty handsome, and super cute. Here I was thinking the other day that I would love to have a boyfriend just like you, minus the fur and meows, you know. And then this guy shows up out of the blue. It's like God was listening to me yesterday...Do you believe in the red string of fate? Well, I kind of do. I think it just could be true. How did he just happen to choose a seat across from me of all the ones available? Anyway, sweet dreams and good night. I hope you had a wonderful day, too. I will try to find some cat girl to hook you up on a blind date with later, promise. I won't let you be lonely like I've been forever."

He kissed the cat's head. Seongwoo mewed softly back and purred harder. Daniel laid his head partially on the cat's lower body and slept there, feeling the warm fur moving up and down, the steady, quicker than a human heartbeat, and the natural pleasant heat that radiated off his fur-covered body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this fluffy, comical chapter. I decided to bring back 2sung and Minhwan every here and there in this story. They are all pretty close friends plus many of them are in the same major, so I thought it would make sense they came over to Dan's place every here and there to do homework and, of course, they would be curious about his cat. I'm probably never going to have things from their POV though, it will always be from Dan or Ong's POV. Anyway, I hope 2sung and Minhwan shippers enjoy the little moments.
> 
> Things you learned about Daniel today: he sucks at math, he procrastinates a lot with homework, he's pretty close with Jaehwan, he falls for Ong at first sight to the point he's imagining their future dates etc, he's incredibly attracted to Ong, he has an inner pervert that wants to ravish poor innocent Ong and corrupt his pure soul, he's very caring and likes how innocent Ong is, he likes Ong's voice, he DOES make some connection between Ong and cats, he gets all shy, awkward, and red aroung Ong, he likes skinship with guys but with Ong it makes his heart go crazy so it's difficult for him, he hasn't had a boyfriend partially because he's very picky about what kind of guy he likes(Ong is the first to match pretty much everything in his ideal), he has a list of Ong facts(yes it will be continued in future chapters), meeting Ong makes him incredibly happy, Daniel wakes up and eats unhealthy snacks in the middle of the night, Daniel is weak to Ong's aegyo, Daniel is SO OBVIOUS about his crush on Seongwoo but denies it continuously to his friends since he doesn't want to admit he's gay, he thinks him and Ong are connected by the red string of fate(hence the picture for this chapter).
> 
> Things you learned about others: Jisung sees right through Daniel with his killer senses(he knows pretty much everything which is gonna be an issue for the shifter later hehe), 2sung are pretty much official, Minhwan is just starting their courtship, Jisung and Daniel often have pillow fights, Minhyun has OCD, Ong doesn't like being called fat, Ong likes handsome guys only especially he likes Minhyun and Jisung, Jaehwan's love for Ong is one-sided, Ong is Daniel's exclusive fan, Ong is a very well-behaved cat, Sungwoon really likes pizza, Jisung is making Sungwoon diet so he can get abs like Daniel's, Ong is good at acting even in cat form, Daniel and Ong!cat sleep together every night and Ong tries to hog the bed, Ong will do anything for Daniel's attention, Ong is grumpy when you wake him up in the middle of his nap. 
> 
> The next chapter will be about....fashion and stolen kisses. I will tell you that much. There will be Ong!human X Daniel and Ong!cat X Daniel both. Plus something a little bit....raunchy and suggestive hehe. 
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for all your love and support so far! This story is a blast. If you are new to this story, please feel free to comment any time for as long as you want. Also, if you didn't check out my other Ongniel stories, please do if you have the time!


	8. What to Wear?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seongwoo and Daniel have their first kiss--but only Seongwoo knows about it. Daniel has a dream that makes him 'sick' and 'leaking' which worries his cat a lot. Seongwoo's second adventure out as a human and all of his various difficulties with human females who get all sick and loco around him for some reason. Well, it's really because he's just insanely handsome and they figure he must be a celeb. Daniel steps in at the last minute by posing as his manager to save him from the crazy fan girls.

"Oh my god, look at this sleeping face! How have I been missing out on this cuteness every night?"

     Seongwoo had one too many naps yesterday, so he had woken up in the middle of the night. He changed into his human form to stretch his limbs out and explored the room and then glanced out the window at the darkened campus, but it was boring after awhile and it didn't help him go back to sleep. He thought about waking Daniel up to play, but the boy had been doing his homework late and he was so exhausted he was even snoring now.

     Seongwoo wondered if maybe he would see what it was like laying together in a human body. He thought so after seeing Jisung and the Cat Hater were close and entangled on the bed, squeezing the other close and smiling delightfully. He wondered what it would be like, only he wanted to do it with Daniel. It should be okay, right?

     Seongwoo called the boy by name and poked him a few times but Daniel didn't stir. Seongwoo was about to climb up on the bed when he got distracted by Daniel's sleeping face. He looks so cute! His cheeks were swollen up, his front teeth jutting out, his hand resting on his chin, and his hair splayed in all directions over the pillow. Seongwoo giggled as the boy mumbled and furrowed his brows in a troubled way.

     "Are you having a bad dream, Daniel?"

     Seongwoo leaned in and pressed his mouth and nose to the round, squishy mounds of flesh.

     "Hmm, that feels really nice."

     Daniel's skin was more velvety and warm this way. It made his lips tingle. Seongwoo giggled at the way it made him ecstatic and left his heart racing.

     He kissed the boy again and again, firmer and longer on various parts of his face. Daniel twitched his nose when Seongwoo kissed him there, like it tickled. When the shifter kissed his mouth, Daniel suddenly kissed back and hummed. Seongwoo gasped and jumped back.

     "Woah, that felt really good."

     It felt like lightening shooting through his body, leaving delicious tingles that made him purr, which came out as a kind of soft moan in his human body. Seongwoo touched his lips, lost in remembering the sensation.

     That's why he'd seen Mandu and Emperor do it and those guys in the movie so much. It was very enjoyable and addictive. He already wanted to do it again, a few times more at least. But he was worried Daniel would wake up from that. Wouldn't it be hard to sleep through something that feels so good?

     Seongwoo decided just to try touching Daniel with his body for now since he didn't want to risk waking up the human yet. Seongwoo went over and looked at the two boys on the bed, judging how he should put his hands and feet to be most comfortable. Then, he laid down next to Daniel as slow and graceful as he could. Then, he slid closer until his body was pressed to Daniel's side, over the blankets.

     Seongwoo put his arm over the boy's bare chest, as he had thrown the blanket off his upper half as usual. Daniel's body got a lot of heat, so he tossed and turned and usually kicked off the blankets in the middle of the night. Then, Seongwoo pressed his nose into the boy's neck. He smiled and purred, pressing his nose closer.

     He liked Daniel's scent. He smelled like lavender mixed with a hint of some kind of spicy cologne and his natural musky, warm male scent. It was the most addictive aphrodisiac in the world and Seongwoo felt like his senses were on a pleasant high. It was like his new catnip.

     Daniel joked often about why Seongwoo was always sniffing him and what exactly smelled so good. Seongwoo couldn't explain it. This smell just drew him in and he never got tired of it even after smelling his owner for several minutes. He always slept curled up close to Daniel because his scent calmed him and helped him sleep. It even brought pleasant dreams.

     Seongwoo exhaled ecstatically and squeezed the boy closer. His fingers felt the chocolaty bumps always there even when his owner was sleeping. He loved the sensation of the warm, soft skin. Seongwoo was finding that, though he'd touched many things in the world, he had never touched something quite as wonderful as Daniel's skin. He felt like he was in heaven now.

     After several minutes of smelling and petting Daniel's chest gently with his curious fingertips, Daniel started humming and stirring. His breaths were coming in soft pants like he was having trouble breathing and Seongwoo's sensitive hearing picked up his heart racing.

     "Before he wakes up, one more kiss..." he murmured, sitting up.

     He put his arms at the sides of Daniel's head and lowered himself down ever so slowly, careful not to even breath or touch him elsewhere.

     I absolutely have to have just one more. These human kisses are truly something else. I can't get enough of it. Will I ever be able to get close to him that he will allow kisses in my human form?

     He doubted they'd ever do this in public while studying. He'd rarely seen humans do this in public, especially not two boys. As Daniel said, it was scandalous and cause for ridicule and ostracization. He would only be able to steal moments if they were in a private space, protected from outside world and their wandering eyes.

    Seongwoo pressed his lips lightly on Daniel's and held them there, closing his eyes to enjoy the amazing, electrical sensation. Then, he suddenly felt Daniel stir and rushed to jump off the bed. Daniel opened his eyes and looked at him sleepily. Seongwoo dived under the bed and tried to change himself as quick as possible.

     Doing it quicker was actually painful. He grit his teeth to stop himself from crying out. He heard Daniel sit up in the bed and move as if he was looking all around.

     "What the hell? Now I'm having wet dreams about him? How hard are you going to make me fall, Ong Seongwoo.." Daniel grumbled.

     Then, he laid back in the bed. Seongwoo felt the bed shake a bit above him, like Daniel was scratching his body hard. He was in his cat body, but he decided to stay still and wait for Daniel to fall asleep. But a few minutes later, he still wasn't.

     What is he up to? The boy was moaning softly, almost like he was in pain, but there was an excited tint to it, his heart was racing, and the bed shaking more furiously.

     "Seongwoo..." Daniel groaned out, his voice shaky from growing pants like he was holding himself back from being louder as much as possible.

     "Uhhh..." he groaned a bit louder and longer, the shaking suddenly stopping.

     When Seongwoo came out to see if his owner was okay, worried he could be dead from heart failure or something, he saw the boy wiping his stomach with a tissue and pulling up the cloth humans wore on their middle bodies called panties. The boy sat up and shakily sighed, a drowsy, pleased smile on his face. Whatever he had done had made him feel good. Seongwoo figured Daniel must have had a terrible itch and it had even made him bleed, that's what the tissue was for.

     Daniel threw the tissue in the bin next to the bed where trash went. Seongwoo went to the bin and jumped up on the metal rim with his front paws, leaning in to check how much blood he had lost and if he needed to call for help. What if his owner was diseased or cut and slowly dying right now? 

     Seongwoo sniffed at the wet tissue curiously. It was incredibly smelly and sour. Definitely wasn't blood. He had smelled something similar before during the mating season but it wasn't as pungeant.

     "No, Seongwoo, trust me, you don't want to taste that!" Daniel scolded in a soft whisper so as not to wake up the others, snatching the cat away from the bin.

     Then, he shoved the tissue down more into the trashbin so the cat couldn't easily grab it. Then, Daniel went back to the bed, setting Seongwoo on the floor. For awhile, Daniel laid there and stared up at the cieling, taking deep breaths. After a few minutes, his breathing and heartbeat returned to normal.

     When he closed his eyes and started softly snoring, Seongwoo knew it was safe . He climbed up on the bed and rested a paw on his owner's arm like he was stroking him. It felt nice but not nearly the same as with his sensitive human skin. He mewed and rubbed his nose on the boy's cheek.

     'Good night sleep tight, my lovely Daniel' he softly mewed, continuing his watch of the human sleeping peacefully.

     Daniel slept deeper this time with a look of utter relaxation and a sweet, happy smile stretching wide  across his face. 

 

 

     When Seongwoo opened his eyes and started his morning stretch, a half-naked Daniel came into his view. Daniel was standing in front of the mirror, holding up shirts, shaking his head in dissatisfaction, and then tossing them into a pile on Jisung's bed. The other two had strangely disappeared much earlier than Jisung left.

     Checking the numbers on the black box they called an alarm clock that made the most annoying buzzing sound in the morning only, he saw Daniel was up early as well. Apparently, he was having difficulty choosing what to wear. Usually, he just put on the first thing he grabbed off the floor or his half empty closet. Seongwoo glared at the items he had folded and hung in his closet now splayed on the floor. He sat up and sighed in frustration.

     Like seriously, you little slob! Now I have to fold those all up again. Why can't you clean up after yourself? Are you a child?

     Daniel saw him shaking his head and brightened. "Morning, Seongwoo! You're finally up.What's with the grumpy face. Smile, pretty boy. It suits you better."

     Seongwoo gave him a grumble and a look like he wasn't pleased after the boy pressed two fingers at the corner of his mouth and tried to stretch his lips up into a grin.

     "Woops. It's a habit, calling you that. Anyway, Seongwoo, cheer up! Turn that frown upside down, won't you? Please help me. I'm going crazy here. I can't decide what style to wear. So, I'm meeting this really cute guy today and I want to impress him, but the problem is that he's into fashion. I want to go with a look that says 'I'm sexy but approachable, I'm rich enough to buy classy clothes but not arrogant enough to show off by wearing only designer clothes,' you know?"

     Huh? Sorry, I can't really say that I understood any of that...

     "So...Which shirt do you think?"

     The boy tried on a pink sweater, then a blue and white striped one. Seongwoo personally preferred the pink one, but he wasn't sure if he could say that suited Daniel more than the blue one. The pink one made his skin color richer and his hair stood out and the blue one made him seem stronger and his eyes really stood out. Seongwoo switched his head back and forth with thought.

     'I can't really tell either, they both look nice' he meowed softly. Daniel took them both off and put them both on the bed.

     "Put your paw on the one you prefer."

     Seongwoo moved his head back and forth between him. Then, he looked at shirtless Daniel. Daniel had a heavily built, large body which Seongwoo had learned made him be considered masculine. He knew the pink color he personally preferred was considered feminine with humans. When guys wore it, they look cuter, softer, and kinder. Seongwoo preferred pink and he preferred Daniel when he was cute and kind compared to when he was angry or seious, though he'd rarely ever seen that it was true. He put his paw on the pink one and nodded decisively.

     "This one? I was kind of going for that too. Seongwoo seems like a pink lover. I guess both of you have more in common than just a name, huh?" Daniel smiled brightly and brushed the cat's head.

     Seongwoo leaned into the amazing touch of that big hand and purred happily. Nothing like a dose of morning pets from his favorite person. Even if it messed up his fur.

     Daniel then wore jeans, a blue striped shirt with the collar sticking out of the pink sweater on top. He used Jisung's gel to scrunch up his hair so it was wavy and falling over his forehead, almost shielding his eyes, which made him look adorably like a sheep. Then, he put on these oversized, round, golden glasses.

     "How is it?" He turned around with his hands out and a cheesy, buck-toothed smile.

     Seongwoo wished he could give a thumbs up, but alas, he had none with these useless paws. He tried to smile, nod, and meow enthusiastically to show his approval. 'You look good but you're going to be late' he meowed loudly. He went over to the clock, then trotted to Daniel's backpack, continuously meowing to get his attention.

     "Shoot, I'm going to be late!" Daniel exclaimed with a gasp after looking at the time thanks to the cat's hint.

     He rushed to stuff all of his things into his bag. Seongwoo knew Daniel was in a chaotic state, so he would probably forget his homework he put on this little black plastic beetle looking thing that attached and detached from his computer. The shifter put his fuzzy paw on it and meowed loudly to get the boy's attention again just before he'd walked out the door. 'Hey, don't forget this!' 

     "What is it, buddy? Ah, that's right! I almost forgot my usb. Thanks for having my back. You are such a sweet little genius, Seongwoo. You really saved me this time. Without this, I would be killed by Jaehwan, then brought back as a zombie to be staked by my professor. I love you!"

     Daniel snatched the usb. Then, as if as an after thought, just before he left, he gently held the cat's cheeks up and lightly kissed him, right on his furry mouth. Seongwoo thought about those amazing, secret kisses he had stolen this morning which made him feel all shy and flushed. He purred and bumped his nose back on the boy's plush pink lips again. Well, this was nice too, in its own way.

     'Love you too, whatever that means in the human language' Seongwoo replied with a bright, happy mew. He was pretty sure it was a sign of affection and he definitely felt that for his sweet, dorky, handsome owner.

     "I will be back in a few hours. Be good and have a fantastic day. I will tell Jisung to play with you and give you some milk and tuna today. You deserve it for always being such a great boy~" Daniel praised sweetly.

     Seongwoo got excited at the sound of his favorite human words, tuna and milk. It was his all time favorite snack, but Jisung usually stopped Daniel from feeding it to him, saying something about having too much sugar and cholesterol. But he knew the boy would give in if Daniel insisted or Daniel would sneak it to him in the middle of the night like when he sometimes woke up and secretly cooked those spicy, red squiggly noodles he loved.

     Though last time he'd had a row when Jisung caught him in the middle of it. It was apparently a bad thing to eat noodles at night, but Daniel was a 'sneaky ninja.'

 

 

     After Daniel left, Seongwoo turned into his human form. He changed into the clothes from yesterday Daniel had worn so he could be surrounded longer in his smell. Daniel had barely been gone five minutes and Seongwoo knew he would see him again in a couple of hours, but he aready was starting to miss him. His attachment was becoming quite terribly strong.

     First, he cleaned up the mess Tornado Dan had left in his room and on Jisung's desk. Daniel thought Jisung was cleaning up after him while Jisung thought Daniel had finally learned how to take care of himself and was growing more mature.

     Seongwoo snickered as he thought about that. A mature Daniel, what a funny idea... Well, he wouldn't be any fun at all.

     Seongwoo didn't mind looking after and protecting his owner from danger or scoldings though. He enjoyed doing nice things for his owner. It's the least he could do for kindly taking him in when cats weren't allowed in the college...dorms. Seongwoo had learned what this giant house was called yesterday from the ency...clopedium.

     After he dusted, picked up the trash, and folded the clothes in the pile again, he went to take his shower. He enjoyed it so much, especially when he took in Daniel's tablet to play music and sing and dance under the hot stream.

     These days he liked these songs: Closer, Skyfall, Get Ugly, Shape of You, and Kokobop. He knew half of the lyrics too from repetitively listening to it. It was good for studying. He looked up the lyrics, and then wrote down the words he didn't know to look up or to ask Daniel. Like what was a shimmie shimmy kokobop and what was a shape and what exactly did get ugly mean and what was a backseat of a rover?

     Music and movies seemed to be a good way to learn. He usually watched more of Daniel's movies in the bird folder after his shower and cleaning ritial. There was a lot of interesting phrases in there that he wanted to look up or ask Daniel about.

     Like when was it okay to use the words 'fuck yes' and why did they always say variations of fuck, like fuck me, fuck you, fuck me harder, you're fucking hard? What was so great about that word, he wondered. Was it like very or really, he could use it in any way? He wanted to use it and he was curious about its meaning.

     He turned on one of the videos as he thought about what to wear. It was his favorite, the Little Mermaid it was called.

     He felt lots of similarities with the mermaid, who he had first just called a fish shifter. Her personality and situation was similar to him. She also wanted to be human and left her world to explore the human world. Oh, and they had both been kind of sort of saved by and started their first journey with encountering a handsome prince.

     Ariel too was very curious, loved singing and dancing and played with random things in the human world, often causing messes and incidents. At least he hadn't mistaken a fork for a hairbrush though. He had laughed so much he almost passed out at that part. Stupid fish shifter. They didn't have books underwater? Or a human village she could at least observed secretly? 

 

 

     Seongwoo had some difficulty choosing clothes since he didn't know anything about them. Why did I say I was in the fashion department of all things?

     He searched 'fashion 2017 Korea' in the book in the tablet that contained everything called Google. Then, he looked through pictures and decide to see if Jisung had something similar. Black tight jeans, a pink button up, and the finishing touch the article said was the outfit's 'point' was a choker necklace. Jisung happened to have a black one. It was tricky to snap it on because he wasn't used to doing defty things with his human fingers yet.

     He smiled at his reflection in the mirror. Then he exclaimed, "Ah, right, the hair!"

     He searched 'handsome hair styles not pretty.' He found one and followed the picture carefully, making the side part deep and flipping his hair up and off his forehead in a neat wave. Then, he carefully pulled some sections over his eye which the artical said was the 'sexy point.' He didn't know what 'sexy' meant but that sounded nice. 

     He sat down and watched the rest of the movie, snacking on those things Daniel loved called jellies. He was interested in the chewy texture and he realized that he immensely loved sweet things.

     Eventually, it was time to go out. He planned on going to the library about an hour before Daniel got there. He took one of Jisung's unused notebooks and pens that he was secretly keeping his notes in. He bounded out the building with that.

     Some girls from the other day noticed him on the sidewalk just before he'd reached the building and greeted him, somehow knowing his name. Sunmi must have said something, that cute girl he met first before he knew any better about females' tricks.

     "Seongwoo oppa! You always out at this time?"

     "Seongwoo oppa?! Are you going to the library again today?"

     He greeted and nodded with a strained smile. "Yes, I am.."

     "Can I study with you?"

     "Me too!"

     "Actually, I kind of like peace and quiet. I've got important...um, research to do." He tried to politely reject them upfront, thinking it might just deter these nosy females from following him in and creating a crowd today.

     Maybe if some girls just pretended a bit not to notice him, then he could blend in and study in peace.

     "I won't make a peep, promise."

     "I have to study too. Being around a handsome guy will give me energy and motivation."

     "Uh, sure... then you can join. But I'm meeting a friend in an hour, so we have to clear a spot for him." 

 

 

     Once in the library, the girls followed him to the A4 isle and then to a table. He sat down and before he knew it, the seats all around the entire table and the ones next to it were filled with those giggling, gossiping, red-faced girls. They were looking at him and a few whipped out their phones, their fingers pressing buttons rapidly. He was again bombarded by snacks and drinks, like these girls just carried them around in case he someday showed up. Or maybe they did this for every guy they considered especially handsome. He was again flattered and overwhelmed by their stares.

     At least this time, the girls on his right and left acted as his body guards. They stopped other girls from asking questions and encouraged him to study.

     Seongwoo was grateful but he wished they would actually study. Apparently, they had been half lying earlier. Rather than doing any kind of studying, they were smiling in this silly way, staring at his face. He felt heat on his cheeks being inflamed by the eyes on both sides never leaving him.

     "So dreamy," one girl sighed.

     "It's like a cartoon prince stepped out of the TV and came to life," the other sighed in a blissful way.

     "Um, I'm not from a dream and I'm not a prince. I'm just...Seongwoo. A student like all of you," he commented shyly, looking through the book for some words on his list.

     They tried to look and he quickly covered his notebook. "Um, sorry it's... private information."

     "Only makes me want to see it more," one girl giggled.

     "You can trust us with your secret," the other girl giggled.

     Seongwoo fake smiled at them and forced a chuckle. He didn't trust them as far as he could throw them, honestly. They looked like the kind of girls that would write all over that forum Minhyun had mentioned everything he said and did, and post pictures they took secretly of him doing random mundane things they thought were cute.

    "Oh my god, oh my god! He's here again and he looks even hotter than yesterday. He's wearing pink and a choker and even makeup. You've got to see him. He looks like an ethereal greek god!" One girl squealed over her phone, making his eyes roll.

     Seongwoo was flattered but that was pure exaggeration. He wasn't white-skinned or blue-eyed or full of chocolate in his stomach like they were. Daniel was more of a greek god than him, like Adonis pictures he'd seen in mythology tales before with the blond hair, bumpy tall broad shouldered body, and slightly sun-tanned skin. 

     Within just a few minutes of that call, there was an urgent situation at the library. A crowd three times the size of yesterday was there surrounding the tables, taking pictures of him, and trying to get his attention.

     "Seongwoo oppa, look here!"

     "Oppa, smile just once!"

     He forced a smile and waved towards the direction of the near shouts but inside he was trembling with nerves and slight fear. He really couldn't get used to this attention. He got up and hugged the book and notebook in his arms. He bowed several times and apologized.

     "Sorry, but I really need to go and study now. Talk another day..." He stuttered.

     The crowd of girls chased after him, whining 'where are you going oppa,' 'can't you play just a bit,' 'I will do your assignment for you,' and 'just take one picture with me.'

     "Sorry, sorry!" he mumbled, picking up the pace to the point he was running.

     When he neared the doors, an older, stern looking woman with triangular glasses grabbed his arm and scolded him, "Sir, did you check that out?"

     "Ah, right. I haven't had the chance to yet, sorry," he bowed and gave the book to the woman.

     She walked crisply on her stilettos back to the counter and sat behind her computer. She frowned as she stuck out her hand, glaring at the girls surrounding him from behind to be quiet. They shh-ed each other but still pushed and snapped their noisy camera phones.

     'Click, click, click' he heard around him, the sound making his heart race and his head ache a bit more each passing minute.

     He looked at the librarian's hand and tilted his head. He gave her his hand and then shook it. The girls squealed with envy and clicked some more.

     "Oppa, touch my hand too!"

     "Oppa, touch me!"

     "Aw, I want to feel his hand too. It looks so soft."

     "It's so pale and graceful."

     "Oppa, why are you so pretty?"

     "So cute, so sweet!"

     Ah, you're all so freaking noisy! Don't you ever stop kyaa-ing and saying oppa? He put his hands over his ears. He was so sick of this endearing term. If he heard it much more, he was going to rip off his own ears at this point.

     Seongwoo was getting extremely annoyed. He couldn't even force a smile anymore. The old woman positively glowered at him, making him gulp.

     Had he done something wrong? She hadn't asked for a hand shake? That's what Daniel asked for when he held out his hand to 'make a deal' as he said. Seongwoo had figured he had to make a promise to bring back the book tomorrow through a similar deal.

     His cheeks flushed with humiliation as he realized he'd made some grave error. Everyone must realize he wasn't a normal human by now. They were going to cart him off to some lab and experiment on him. He'd heard the horror stories at shifter gatherings. Shifters were taken by human scientists or doctors and never returned to their families or friends again.

     "Everyone back! Manager coming through. Back up, I said. And no pictures, don't make me call security."

     Seongwoo recognized that deep, sweet, accented tone forcing himself to sound threatening. Daniel, his prince in pink fabric, appeared just as he was dressed this morning, his chest stuck out and arms swung wide open. He stood behind Seongwoo and waved the crowd back. There were all kinds of cries about the 'jerky good-looking manager' being back to ruin their fun and how Seongwoo must be some kind of foreign celebrity. Seongwoo smiled gratefully and sighed in relief when Daniel turned to him.

     "Now you owe me twice, handsome," Daniel whispered and flashed a wink and a playful smirk. He then turned to the librarian with a sweet smile. "Is there a problem, Ma'am?" 

     Seongwoo learned that day you needed a student ID card to check out a book. That's why she had held her hand out. Daniel checked the book out when he admitted he wasn't carrying his currently. (And he never would because he was a stowaway not a real student, he thought).

     Daniel left with him out the building. The girls followed, nearly running and knocking each other over despite the library staff scolding them to behave.

     "I think we've got to run... I know a place they won't find us and we can study properly. Follow me."

     Daniel then took off running, Seongwoo's book in hand. Seongwoo clutched the notebook and pen, running as fast as he could after him.

 

 

(To be continued...)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has a lot going on, I know. I hope it wasn't confusing or lost your interest anywhere. I really liked the idea of Daniel and Ong wanting to impress each other by looking good. I thought it would be funny and sweet to have Ong look looks up online and for Daniel to rely on his best little fuzzy buddy. Daniel is so silly for trusting his look to a cat though...but luckily Ong has good fashion sense and well it helps that I don't think that Daniel could look bad in anything. I enjoy writing about Ong!cat and Daniel's interactions like this one where they're waking up and getting ready because they're so fun and also sweet. Daniel is really himself and he's so loving. I put in more offended, diva Ong since you guys said you like it. Hope it's easy to imagine a cat like that and made you laugh.
> 
> About the naughty scene, if you're wondering what was going on...Yes, Daniel was masturbating while thinking of human Seongwoo. I didn't make it graphic because I thought this way it's more comical with the whole tissue thing and Ong freaking out that he's sick and in pain. Oh, and Daniel did see a flash of Seongwoo in human form but since he was dreaming of him right before, he was thinking that he was just having a very realistic dream. I enjoyed writing about Seongwoo here. Recently Seongwoo said that he thought Daniel's sleeping face was cute and he drew a picture and so I explained it with that picture in his mind.
> 
> I like the idea of Seongwoo being addicted to kisses, stealing them when he can and tricking Daniel as a cat into giving him more. Now he knows why humans find kissing so amazing so he wants to do it more and more but aww poor daniel he doesn't remember his first kiss lol. Sorry I had to cut it off in the middle right when Daniel appeared. It was getting too long to include their coffee study date. But Daniel was an awesome prince charming, saving him from a terrible situation and an evil librarian witch, right? Poor Ong thought the lady wanted to make a deal! Haha Ong is so funny when he's naive about the human world and makes mistakes, it's my favorite thing to write next to Dan being so obviously in love.
> 
> Things you learned about Seongwoo today: he loves Daniel's sleeping face, he likes touching Daniel's skin, he loves human kisses, he has been tricking Daniel into kissing him as a cat, he is addicted to Daniel's scent, he likes to wear Daniel's clothes around the room, he thinks that Daniel's chocolates are making him sick or some kind of deformity, he is good at taking care of Daniel and making sure he doesn't forget things he needs, he doesn't know much about fashion but he has a natural talent with it, he likes the color pink, he prefers Daniel when he's beeing cute and sweet, he said he loves Daniel but he doesn't know what it means, he loves tuna and milk, he likes the same music Daniel does, his favorite video to watch is The Little Mermaid, he is learning words from watching Daniel's porn videos(can't you see the trouble coming there?). 
> 
>  
> 
> The next chapter will be their first 'date' from Seongwoo's POV. See you soon, I hope! Thanks for being patient with updates and keeping up with the reading. I hope you will keep the comments coming. I really really love them <3


	9. Coffee Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel and Seongwoo have their first real date outside of the library, though it was totally spontaneous. Daniel starts teaching Seongwoo about the world, little by little, starting with the fact that there are some words that are really bad he shouldn't say. They will slow but surely learn new things about each other and fall just a bit more as they have their first human-human skinship. This chapter is short but very fluffy, funny, and sweet.

(continued from when they are running away from the library and the crowd of girls)

 

     It felt strange to run on two legs rather than four. Seongwoo flew up in the air and strided much further, but he actually moved just a tad slower than in his cat form and it was harder to breath.

     Luckily, he managed to make it all the way to the shop Daniel was headed for. It was a tiny coffee shop with only a few tables and no customers. Daniel opened the door for Seongwoo kindly and then set their stuff at a little round table.

     "Tired, right? Choose anything you want. You've had a rough couple of days with those psycho fan girls," he said, slightly huffing.

     Seongwoo was huffing harshly as well, a lot more affected by the sudden burst of exercise on his untrained body. Daniel comfortingly pat his back, waiting patiently for him to catch his breath. The handsome, sweaty boy squinted at the menu above the counter. 

     "I've never had cof..."

     "It's called coffee," Daniel laughed brightly. "I will get you what I like then. Two vanilla lattes, iced please and..are you hungry?"

     Seongwoo followed his pointing finger to the glass display.

     "Wow .."

     His mouth dropped at the colorful breads with cream on top. He'd never seen this human food before. It was decorated elaborately with really pretty colors and looked scrumptious. He wanted to try them all.

     "Get anything you want. My treat," Daniel suggested kindly.

     "Really? Thanks!" He replied enthusiastically, his eyes widened as he looked eagerly over the...cakes. That's what the signs called them.

     Red velvet cake, carrot cake, cheese cake, rainbow cake, fruit cake, cream cake, roll cake, custard cake apple tart. There were too many that sounded delicious and interesting he was beside himself with which one to choose. He decided he'd taste a few and share the ones he didn't like as much with Daniel. Even in his human form, he was a bit greedy and selfish with food. Cats didn't usually share food well, honestly, especially shifters who had a more severe version of that trait.  

     Daniel chuckled as he watched Seongwoo fawn over the cakes, choosing several ones to try. "Can you really eat all that? I guess you're really not a model like those girls all think, or you would have fainted from counting those calories."

     They sat down, waiting for their order to be announced.

     "What's calories?" Seongwoo asked with a head tilt.

     Daniel grinned wider at his movement, the look in his eyes turning warmer and sweeter. "That's a toughy even if you looked it up. It's energy inside the food but too much will make you fat. Unless you exercise many hours a day."

     "Ah, I don't like exercise..." Seongwoo admitted. He hated running almost as much as he hated being dirty and living in the woods.

     "Then, I will eat whatever you can't. Don't worry. I'm like a trash can. I never get full " Daniel assured,  proudly petting his stomach.

     Oh yes, I certainly know that, the shifter thought to himself. He had seen Daniel stuff and stuff himself repeatedly all through the night often enough that he had started thinking Daniel was a special human with an extra stomach, maybe two.

 

 

     While the cakes were being plated by the barista, Daniel opened up Seongwoo's notebook and the encyclopedia curiously.

     "What have you been studying? Hmm, let's see..."

     Daniel stared at the bottom of a paper with wide eyes and laughed with the back of his hand covering his mouth.

     "Oh my god ..What's this...Where did you even hear...?"

     The boy was so beside himself with amused, enthusiastic laughter that he couldn't finish a proper sentence.

    Seongwoo started to panic, worried there was something in his notes that would make Daniel think he was really lame and ignorant. He was, but he didn't want to seem so obvious about that fact.

     "What's so funny? Did I write something wierd?" he asked anxiously.

     "These are..lots of really bad words. You won't find them in an encyclopedia..." Daniel chuckled.

     "Bad words? Which ones?"

     Daniel circled a lot of the words and put an X next to them. "A sweet, innocent, cute kid like you shouldn't say these things ever, okay?"

     "Really, this word is that bad?" Seongwoo asked in surprise.

     He pointed to 'fuck' and frowned, tilting his head. He wondered why Daniel, who was such a good person in his opinion, would have videos of guys saying all these bad words. Was it that it was okay to hear it but not ok to say it in casual situations?

     "Yes, it's really bad. Don't say it, okay? Anything here. Just forget all about it, understand? I promise I will teach you lots of good words. Words that suit someone cool and handsome like you."

     Seongwoo smiled gratefully and flushed. So, now he had heard a new word from Daniel while complimenting him. Daniel thought he was 'cool.' Cool! Cool. He liked the sound of that almost as much as the word handsome.

     "Your order is out!" The barista called brightly to them.

     Daniel came back a minute later with the tray full of colorful cakes on white glass plates and two large plastic cups with black sticks inside. He took the cup Daniel handed him, but he carefully watched how Daniel used it before repeating.

     So, I put the thing in my mouth and suck, then the brown liquid goes magically into my mouth? Ingenius! Way better than tongues or cups or bottles. This way is effective and totally spill proof. He loved these...he looked back where Daniel had gotten the sticks from and saw some signs there. Straws. He loved this ingenius invention called straws. 

     Seongwoo wished he could use them in his cat body too. His eyes widened at the sweet, milky liquid with a new flavor he'd never tried. It was strong and a bit bitter and had a delicious smell. He decided he loved this right away, second to banana milk of course. His eyes were widened with delight. He pulled away and licked the extra coffee off his lips. Daniel smirk suddenly faded away, eyes gazing lingeringly at his mouth.

     "I hate yet love so much when you do that..." He murmured.

     "What was that?"

     "Nothing...Try the cake!" Daniel then suddenly flipped 360 degrees into a dofferent person. He was smiling in a super cheesy way and had a piece of reddish brown cake covered in white cream on the metal fork held out near his mouth.

     Seongwoo opened his mouth as instructed and Daniel stuck it in.

     "Hmm," he hummed in delight, his eyes popping open as he chewed. "This cake is so delicious!"

     It was the most wonderful flavor. It was so sweet, chocolaty, soft, and moist. Oh my goodness, cakes are the greatest food ever! Why have I not had this in my life? What a waste of years!!

     Daniel laughed and picked up piece of another cake. "Seems you like it. How about this one?"

     An orange chunk came his way. Seongwoo eagerly chomped it.

     "Don't eat my hand too!" Daniel joked.

     "Sorry, just so yummy," he said with his mouth full.

     Seongwoo hummed and closed his eyes, doing a little dance of happiness. This one was even more delicious than the last. Daniel watched him eat the cakes and drink the coffee eagerly, leaning relaxed on his fist, his teeth absently nibbling on the end of his straw. He had a slight smile etched permanently into his face, that made Seongwoo's heart do little summersaults, and occasionally chuckled.

     Seongwoo eventually grew extremely distracted by the handsome man across him, posing like one of those models he had looked up today. He looked really good in pink and those glasses with that ruffled up hair. Daniel, he thought, looked more model material than him. But why aren't girls going gaga on him? Just because he talks a bit different? Or because he is blond haired when other humans around here are mostly shades of black and brown?

     His gaze drifted to Daniel's stomach. Do they know about his chocolate stomach? Is it an actual deformity? But Jisung had acted like it was a good thing...He hoped Daniel wasn't bullied or sick from it...

     "Glad you like it. Don't stop on account of me. Eat up! I will just have whatever's left..." Daniel encouraged him, waving his large hand for him to continue.

     Seongwoo licked cream off his lips and then swatted a moving, rolling fork by instinct.

     Daniel snorted, his eyes going again to his lips whenever he habitually did that, taking on a dark, strangely feral kind of look. "You've got some funny habits..." 

     Seongwoo tilted his head and blinked. "I do?" He wondered out loud.

     "Yeah, like those two right there!" Daniel smiled widely in response.

     Seongwoo was totally lost now. What did I just do exactly? Is he angry about it, is it not something humans should do, or is he trying to say he likes it?

     "Maybe it's better if you don't know. Then you would stop and I would lose my daily dose of cute. I can always use more cute in my life. This world is such a serious, dull place..." Daniel mumbled as if debating seriously with himself, shaking his head back and forth.

     What is this guy saying now? He is rambling nonsense, lost in his own little world again.  He's such a dorky pabo. Seongwoo giggled, looking happily at his owner--well, now just a study buddy. He couldn't help smile, feeling flattered that Daniel thought he did cute things. He wanted to spend every moment of his day being cute and making Daniel want to touch him and smile sweetly.

     "Shall we study now? Proper Korean only. If I find any more bad words, I'm going to scold you, Ong Seongwoo," Daniel shook his finger at him and then skimmed over the notebook with Jisung's pen tucked behind his left ear, pushing up his glasses.

     Seongwoo bowed and flushed with embarassment, though a part of him was really curious about why that word was so bad. "Sorry, I really didn't know..."

     He looked up to beam. Seriously, the sun couldn't even compare to his radiance. Seongwoo felt hot and his heart sped up like he had just ran a mile through the woods. "It's alright. That's what I'm here for, right? I will lead you down the good path only, I promise."

     "Yes, I put my faith in you, teacher. Guide me well," They both shared a laugh at the cheesy jokes.

     Seongwoo felt ridiculously happy now. He could look at Daniel all he wanted and they finally weren't being bothered by girls. This coffee was yummy, this cake fantastic. Daniel looked at him with so much warmth, kindness, and affection. Seongwoo couldn't get enough of making him smile and laugh. Daniel was so cutesome that way.

 

 

     Seongwoo made a mental note of what he did caused which reactions as they talked over the next hour. Daniel scrunched up his nose and smirked when Seongwoo tilted his head. Daniel smiled wide when Seongwoo brushed his hair to fix it. His smile turned really sweet and warm when Seongwoo blinked. His eyes darkened and stayed on his lips for nearly a minute after he licked some food off his lips. One time, Daniel had swiped off cream with his finger before he could get a swipe at it himself. Daniel laughed softly whenever he fidgeted with something on the table.

     Seongwoo could see all of these reactions but he wasn't sure what it all meant. He wasn't good at interpreting humans yet. When Daniel occasionally mumbled softly that he was cute, brushed his hand, or ruffled his hair, he had an idea of what that meant at least since he had experienced it before. Daniel was growing fond of him and giving him care like he did when he was a cat.

     He wondered with excitement if Daniel was going to share kisses like he often did when he was overwhelmed with cat Seongwoo's cute antics. He would admit now that he actually did the things that would have that result on purpose nowadays. He was addicted to kisses. He was already feeling desperate for more human ones, since he discovered last night they were indescribably better.

     Seongwoo tried to send a telepathic message like what worked when he was in his cat form magically. 'Kiss me, kiss me, go on and kiss the boy, you know that you wanna just kiss the boy.' 

     Seongwoo recalled that scene where the mermaid girl was trying to get the prince to kiss her on the boat by just smiling and sending a sweet look with her eyes. He tried to mimic her expression as best he could. He thought of the lyrics and looked intensely at Daniel.

 

Sha la la la la la  
Don't be scared  
You got the mood prepared  
Go on and kiss the girl  
Sha la la la la la  
Don't stop now  
Don't try to hide it how  
You want to kiss the girl  
Sha la la la la la  
Float along  
And listen to the song  
The song say kiss the girl  
Sha la la la la la  
The music play  
Do what the music say  
You got to kiss the girl  
You've got to kiss the girl  
You wanna kiss the girl  
You've gotta kiss the girl  
Go on and kiss the girl

 

     For awhile, they just silently stared at each other in their own little world. Daniel seemed surprised, overwhelmed, and involved in some deep inner conflict as he shifted between reading Seongwoo's eyes and looking with excited longing at his mouth. Seongwoo flushed and so did Daniel. But he forced himself not to break the elictrifying contact. 

     Daniel, you want to kiss me too, don't you? I can tell. Why don't you? No one we know is here. Just the barista and she's not even looking. What are you fighting with yourself about, hmm? You kiss me so easily when I'm a cat. Can't you do it when I'm human too? Kisses just mean showing affection and happiness, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, of all, I'm really sorry for this chapter being shorter than the others. The next chapter is about the same. I don't want to put too much into their first date because I think that that would be rather unnatural, you know? I want them to slowly learn more and more about each other(that is what Daniel said he wants). I thought about what else I could put in here but I couldn't think of anything for this particular setting since I have plans for moments for them later. So, I decided to just leave it here where they learn just a bit about each other, have a lot of smiles and sweet, bashful looks, joke around a bit to make you readers laugh, and share some heart-racing skinship. I was thinking that this date lasts only about two hours too. Since realistically Daniel has got homework to do and a cat to take care of, and he doesn't want to seem desperate to Seongwoo, so I figured he wouldn't have a long date the first time. After they run out of things to study, it just kind of naturally is time for them to go home. There's obviously more to the date that's going on but I didn't put in everything. I will just leave it to your imagination other things that they talked about. Future dates may be longer since they're going to end up going to touristy spots and that way Daniel will have a lot of things to teach and show Ong and experience together, plus they will be doing more skinship and asking more private/personal things.
> 
> Things you learned about Seongwoo: he doesn't like bitter things, he thinks straws are ingenius, he loves coffee second to banana milk, he really likes cakes, he is easily embarassed, he is also easily excited and amused, every time Daniel coughs he thinks that Daniel is sick from his chocolate stomach deformity(I don't know why I just love this idea and so I'm going to keep bringing it up until later he says something about it that makes Daniel pretty much near death with amusement), he enjoys doing things with his human body to see how Daniel will react, he really really really wants Daniel to consciously kiss him(that's quite evil, don't you feel for Daniel here, Ong is unknowingly torturing this horny, lonely guy beyond belief). 
> 
> The next chapter is continuing here from Daniel's POV. So the date goes on for a little bit longer than this. Something for you to look forward to at least. But Daniel's POV when it comes to when he's with Seongwoo has quite a different dynamic(he's very attracted to Seongwoo plus the boy is so naturally cute he gives him heart failure). I guess you could guess that he's a little tiny bit perverted with what happened last chapter and finding out about his erotic videos....(Sorry if you don't like the idea of that, but I picture Daniel as being a bit of a secret pervert but actually he's ashamed and shy about it). Somehow it fits with how sexy he is in real life, you know? He really knows how to make a hot, erotic expression and seeing as how he dislikes practicing expressions in mirrors with how shy and awkward he feels, I can only assume that he's seen some dirty things hehe.
> 
> See you in a few days with pervert, head over heels crushing big time Daniel's POV! Please let me know what you think. Love and thank you all so much for reading this drabble!!
> 
>  
> 
> \- Raina


	10. Precious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seongwoo and Daniel continue their coffee date from Daniel's POV. It's a success as they get to know each other and make each other laugh, though Daniel has a hard time controlling how much he likes this boy he just met. Seongwoo is just too handsome and cute to handle.

The way that Seongwoo was looking at Daniel was strange and intense all of a sudden. Daniel knew it couldn't be possible, somehow but he sensed he was receiving this telepathic message. 'Kiss me, please kiss me, you know you want to, just come and do it.' No way! He was going crazy. His dream was totally messing with his mind. Seongwoo clearly didn't have any clue how seductively feminine he was in that get up with that look of excited anticipation on his face. Oh, how Daniel wished that message was true so he could finally experience those tempting, pretty lips.

     Even if by some miracle it was though, he still didn't want anyone, not even some random barista, to see his first kiss. Oh, it would be both of ours first kiss, that's right. Daniel coughed a bit as he choked on the coffee he was drinking when he finally forced their eyes to break eye contact. 

     "Are you okay? Here," the boy handed him a napkin. He coughed into it and wiped the splattered coffee on his lips and table.

    "Just...uh, coffee down the wrong pipe."

    "What do you mean by that? How many pipes do you have in your throat and what are they made out of?" Seongwoo asked curiously.

     Daniel got ahold of himself after a few minutes of laughing hard before explaining what the idiom meant. He loved it when the foreign boy made language misunderstandings. It was endearing and hilarious.

 

 

     Daniel couldn't stop smiling as he watched the boy eating. Seongwoo looked so in love with those cake s(lucky ball of sugary flour, what he wouldn't give up to be it right now). His eyes went to the cream at his lips. The pretty boy in pink seemed to notice and he licked it off habitually. Daniel watched that pink tongue slip over his shapely, glistening lip and felt a groan rise to his throat as he felt a hot, uncomfortable twist in his gut. It told him he was getting dangerously turned on right now.

     Stop right there, pervert Daniel. Don't even start thinking of your precious baby Ong Seongwoo that way. He's not trying to seduce you in the least the way you're tempted to think. He is just like a kid, excited over having a very rare dessert. He isn't flicking his tongue seductively, but just self consciously because he likes the taste and doesn't like being messy. He certainly wasn't imagining your length like you're hoping, that was for sure.

     Daniel tried hard to force his dirty thoughts away. But that erotic, hotter than hot dream he had had last night didn't help a bit.

     Last night, Daniel had pictured Seongwoo lying in his bed and stroking him and kissing him all over in his sleep. It had felt so realistic that when he woke up, he felt immensely turned on. He'd been so sleepy yet desperate to relieve himself, he had forgotten about the cat and two boys in the room. Hopefully, no one knew about his dirty secret or heard him saying Seongwoo's name.

     While he had relieved himself, he had been imagining a continuation from that dream where he woke up and flipped the boy over in surprise, ravishing his pretty, virgin lips until they were dark pink, bruised, and swollen. Then, the imagination was followed by him kissing many other beautiful parts of the gorgeous boy's body he had yet to see but could imagine a clear picture of from seeing his uke type in many porns. Seongwoo would be pale, lean, and graceful, his moans sweet, his body sensitive and submissive.

     Fuck, fuck, calm the fuck down! Daniel bit his lips and pinched his leg painfully, trying to get a grip on his wildly growing out of control desire. He is just a sweet innocent foreigner that's never had a kiss, probably never thought about it even. You are supposed to be helping him study in order to fit in here, not think of what you would experiment on him if he was in your bed. You're being a creepy pig!

     Daniel was disgusted with himself. Really, his pervertedness was terrible these days because he'd been feeling so much loneliness with his friends hooking up all around him. 

     He decided to distract himself as much as possible by feeding Seongwoo some more(the cheesy, childish display of affection was honestly so fun, he'd always wanted to do this with someone). Seongwoo hadn't tried the tiramisu yet, one of Daniel's favorites. Daniel carefully stabbed off a small bit and handed it to him. Seongwoo eagerly opened his mouth wide, his pretty eyes twinkling with anticipation. Daniel chuckled for the tenth time at how freaking cute he was. You could gather all the stuffed animals in the world in one giant skyscraper and it would seem dull in comparison.

     Suddenly, Seongwoo made a horrified, scrunched up face and spit the cake mush out into a napkin. "Ew ew ew~" he muttured, sticking out his long, pink tongue in utter disgust.

     Daniel laughed and gave Seongwoo his own coffee cup to drink from to get rid of the unfavorable taste. Seongwoo gulped greedily. He smiled in relief after he'd gotten the sweet liquid into his mouth. Then, the boy glared at the cake like it had offended and dishonored his entire family, jabbing his finger at it.

     "I don't like it. It's evil! You can have all of it."

     Daniel shook his head and chuckled again in amusement. So, the boy would give him what he didn't like and not even offer a bite of what he did like. As if he was saying with a humongous explosion of baby like aegyo, 'this is all mine~'. Ah, how cutely childish was that. Daniel didn't mind, his heart was all his too...

     He wasn't a huge cake fan and he really shouldn't eat that many calories on top of the ramen and snacking he'd done recently though. His body would be ruined and he needed it to seduce his future boyfriend, whoever that was(still fingers crossed for it to be this sweetie). So he decided to just toss it.

     "You don't like bitter things I guess, huh?" He asked warmly, glad to have learned a new fact about his crush.

     Seongoo shook his head  rapidly from side to side and glared at the cake some more. Oh my god, did I just hear a tiny hiss? He couldn't get enough of this kid. Seriously, he was the definition of precious. He was going to put the boy's name and lots of hearts into his encyclopedia later.

     "I didn't know it, but I really totally wonjeon daebak hul don't like it!"

     Daniel busted out laughing, hitting the coffee table. God, where had he heard that from, a comedy show? Oh, it was hilarious. Seongwoo smiled and tilted his head as if he was saying 'are you laughing at my expense or should I be joining in?'

     "You really totally wonjeon daebak hul don't like bitter things. Noted in my mind. Next time, I won't let you get it," Daniel joked, trying to control his laugh to little giggles, and tapped his temple.

 

     Another thing to add to my list of interesting, amazing and adorable facts about Ong Seongwoo.

* Nine, Seongwoo loves cake and sweet coffee. He really truly wonjeon daebak hul hates bitter things. ㅋㅋㅋ

* Ten, he is so funny and cute, but he doesn't realize it at all.

 

     "Are you making fun of me Kang Daniel? That certainly sounds like mocking..." His voice turned dark and he sent a fierce glare his way.

     Oh my god, that looks just like when my cat was offended the other day for implying he wasn't potty trained! Daniel burst into chuckles again, holding his  hand over his mouth as Seongwoo glared harder and looked frustrated. Then, when Daniel didn't stop, he rolled his eyes and chomped harshly on his straw like he was quite pissed.

     "Sorry, Seongwoo. Swear I'm not laughing at you because you did something wierd. You're just really funny and cute. I've never met someone like you. You're a riot! People don't tell you that at home?"

     Daniel stretched his hand across the table and put it over the boy's to reassure him and stop his anger from worsening from his insensitivity. He regretted it right away though, as they both immediately flushed as usual when they did skinship, Daniel much more so.

     "Hmm.." Seongwoo seemed to think for awhile and licked his lips again in that nervous habit.

     Daniel cringed as he felt as if his gut was punched, staring helplessly at those lovely lips he was forever drawn to. He was strongly tempted to leap across, ensnare those lips and capture that evil little pink, sweet morsel inside. That tongue needed punishment for always popping out and attacking his senses. Rude much! Even without the tongue, he had a hard enough time at the moment controlling his crush feels for this boy currently.

     "My family and most of the people in my town are famous for being serious. I like to joke, but after we hit our teenage years we're not supposed to. It's considered childish. People stopped finding me funny quite a long time ago but I never stopped trying to get people to crack."

     "What, that's so lame! Good thing you moved here. There will be lots of people laughing at your jokes. Koreans love to laugh."

     "What about you? Do you like laughing?" Seongwoo asked slowly.

     He had the biggest, most hopeful looking eyes now. It made Daniel's heart thump and he had to catch himself from breaking out in an 'awww' like he would when his cat did something similar when he promised him a brushing, tuna, or banana milk.

     "Especially me. Don't be shy. Please use your jokes on me any time. I will definitely laugh and show them proper appreciation. I laugh easily," Daniel promised with a radiant grin.

     Seongwoo played with a napkin, fidgeting again like he did yesterday. Then, he reached up to fix his hair which was still glistening and perfectly in place. Daniel felt like his hair was a listless, dry mop next to Seongwoo's prize winning locks. He wondered what was Seongwoo's secret. He would have to tell Jisung too, since he was obsessed with hair.

      "Well...I have one thing I know that's pretty funny. I can immitate a traditional Korean instrument."

     "What? No way! Let me see~" Daniel pressed with excitement.

     He opened his mouth and let out an airy, squeaky, high pitched sound that sounded exactly like the instrument. Daniel was reduced to hysterical fits, practically falling on the floor.

     "It's just like it but why is it so hilarious? Oh my god, your face when you do it also. So funny! Oh my god, I think I'm dying, can't breath..." He said around giggles.

     Seongwoo smiled bright and proud. Then he showed him a special trick where he folded his exceptionally long, thin, flexible ears, which he thought was pretty cool. He seemed to really love it when people found him funny. Even the barista was turned away from them, giggling but trying to snuffle it.

 

 

     After they ate, they got back to studying. Seongwoo had written words from lyrics of some songs he liked. Daniel realized with delight that they had the same music taste. He loved all of these songs. They were on his favorites playlist. Match made in heaven~

     Daniel diligently taught Seongwoo about the words he had written down to study, careful not to laugh or show surprise like he had yesterday. He didn't want to make the boy feel embarassed or ashamed. If he did, then Seongwoo might stop wanting to hang out with him. He certainly couldn't have that. He had fallen too hard already. He'd suffer Ong Seongwoo withdrawal symptoms. Still, it was so hard to not laugh at how he asked what a shimmie shimmie kokobop was or what get ugly meant.

     Get ugly he was pretty sure was a euphemism for having sex. But he certainly wasn't going to travel down that path with the way his mind had been drifting this week. He wouldn't survive through the onslaught of fantasies and, contrary to what his inner pervert may seem like, he didn't want to corrupt the boy's innocence. It was what Daniel loved about him the most. His innocent naivete made him incredibly adorable. It gave Daniel a strong urge to protect him and teach him about all kinds of only good things to ensure he kept his childlike, pure soul. So, he lied.

    "Get ugly means to take off your makeup. Many girls think they look ugly with just a bare face."

     "Ah, I see, that makes sense..." Seongwoo nodded.

     Daniel face palmed himself and bit back a chuckle. Oh my god, he actually believes me. What do I do with this precious baby? Now i actually feel bad taking advantage of his total trust in me to guide him...

     "Seongwoo, if you like music and singing, why aren't you an idol?" Daniel asked curiously, realizing the boy was humming while diligently jottind down the bogus definition he gave.

     Seongwo shook his head wildly. "Scared of crowds of girls.." he replied with a shiver. "I was nearly trampled to death in the past so I have a bit of a t..tr..."

     "Trauma?" Daniel offered with a pitiful face.

     Daniel rubbed his arm in comfort as he seemed to be recalling the last few days' incidents.

     "If you become a model or singer, I will be your manager, okay? I will keep them all away and protect you from any harm. You can hire others too. It doesn't need to scare you enough to deter you from going for your dream."

      "Thanks," Seongwoo smiled shyly and blushed, looking at the arm that was still under his hand.

     Daniel let go quickly, giving an apologetic smile.

     "I don't want to be a model though. I don't think I know a thing about fashion."

     "Are you serious? Stand up."

     "Why?" He licked his lips nervously, making Daniel cringe in pain again. How many times a day does he do that evil move?!

     Calm, cool thoughts, go to your happy place, he thought. He forced himself to meditate with deep breaths, picturing a field of daffodils and frolicking Bengal kittens. The feeling rising up a small tent in his pants slowly eased so it was at least barely noticeable. Jeez, did that tongue have a fatal effect on him, the response was almost instantaneous now.

     "Just do it," he pressed, waving his hand in a stand up motion.

     Seongwoo stood up obediently and turned around, then walked to the counter and back like Daniel instructed. He moves so gracefully and confidently he really would make a fine model, Daniel thought. Seongwoo had such long legs and dreamy proportions and that heavenly, gorgeous face, good lord...! Daniel started coughing because he suddenly couldn't breath from an attack of feels.

     Seongwoo rushed back with worry etched all over his face. He hit the center of Daniel's back with his palm. "Are you sick? Why do you cough so often?"

     "Just air down the wrong pipe," he lied.

     I cough because I think my heart is trying to jump out of my throat. It knows that if it stays around you, it doesn't stand a chance at properly functioning, he thought as he coughed some more. Seongwoo still frowned with worry, his pretty eyes even tearing up, as he caringly patted his back.

     "Sure you're not sick?"

     "I'm fine. Sit Down," he assured. Daniel hurried to put that gorgeous smile back on his face. "The reason I did that was to see your outfit. It's really lovely. You could go on a runway with that look. Pink suits you and this collar necklace is lovely.."

     Daniel grazed the black choker and pale skin of the boy's neck gently with his fingertips as if he had no control of the appendage any more. He actually had a fetish for cat ears, leashes, collars, leather, garters and lace stockings, but he was not going to allow himself to imagine Seongwoo strutting down a runway in that attire. That was pure danger.

     "Ah, really? I just picked something out off the internet. "

     "Really? Where do you get your clothes? Maybe I will shop there.."

     ...to buy an outfit for you every birthday and anniversary after we start dating, he finished the thought only in his mind. If only genies were real, right? All of my three wishes would involve Seongwoo. Date him, have him fall in love with me, and elope to America in order to marry him...

     Seongwoo started stuttering like he didn't want to reveal the name. "Um.. It's a site called...J's closet."

     Huh. Interesting name for a store.

     Daniel smiled wider. "I'll check it out sometime." "

     "It's um...out of business for now. You probably won't find it," he rushed to say, a bit of something near panic in his eyes.

     "Ah, bummer. Let's go shopping later. I'll buy you something. When is your birthday?"

     "August twenty-fifth..."

     "That's just around the corner!" Daniel smiled wide, and Seongwoo thought he closely resembling this large, white, super fluffy dog he had once seen before in the town. 

     "If you're not doing something for your birthday, let me plan something special. I will make it the best day ever. We can go to all kinds of tourists places. Have you been to Namsan? 63 building? Hangang river? Banpo Bridge? Gyeongbok-gung?"

      Seongwoo admitted that he hadn't been here long and he not only had no time to explore, he barely knew what those places were. Daniel promised to take him there, to all of them whenever they had free schedules on the weekends or after classes were done.

 

 

     "By the way...what do these do?" Seongwoo asked out of the blue when they were sitting there in silence.

     "Hmm? My rings?" Daniel looked where the boy was pointing his long, pale finger.

     "They're just cool decorations."

     "Rings on movies all have some kind of special power. Like time skipping, lazers, healing, teleportation. What do yours do?"

      Daniel smiled wide, getting a genius idea. "My ring allows me to see all your thoughts."

     Seongwoo gasped and then appeared to put on a blank face like he was worried the other would read his thoughts now. How Daniel wished he could. But his face wasn't quite so obvious as his cat was to read.

     He chuckled and ruffled the guy's hair. "Just kidding. Woops, sorry. You don't like that. It's a habit of mine..."

     Daniel went to fix the hair as he looked suddenly irritated. Seongwoo grabbed his hand and pushed it back onto his head. The way he closed his eyes and smiled, looking like he was wanting to be petted, and sniffing his wrist really reminded Daniel of his Bengal cat at home.

     He pet him just the same, stroking gently over his soft hair.  Seongwoo hummed in pleasure and pressed into his hand, his pretty eyes closed and smiling. Somehow it seemed almost like a purr.

 

Time to add some more things to my list of interesting, amazing and adorable facts about Ong Seongwoo.

 

* eleven, he has the same music taste as me. His singing voice is so pretty.

* twelve, he doesn't know anything about bad words.

* thirteen, he has great fashion sense.

* fourteen, his birthday is August 25th.

* fifteen, he thinks rings have super powers. He's so much like a child I love it. I think he'd believe anything if I told him.

* sixteen, maybe it is just my cat obsession but Seongwoo seems quite feline, especially looking at previous notes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, sorry for a short chapter(whoever thought I would be apologizing about short chapters ever?). I was just kind of going with the flow and when I wrote everything that I wanted to write for this date, I just let it stop naturally. I wanted to conclude the last chapter with Ong trying to get Daniel to kiss him because I thought it would be a good place to start Daniel's chapter(I know I'm a tease but that would have been a lame first kiss, I'm aiming for something more romantic awhile down the road). This chapter I thought would be good to stop right when Daniel makes some connection to human Ong being not only like a cat but also his personality and habits are similar to the Bengal cat he thinks is at home. Not that he's going to put together Ong is a shifter he's housing anytime soon. But this way, later, when it gets revealed, it's going to be a lot easier for him to accept because he would have already had some suspicion besides his ethereal looks that Seongwoo was not quite your typical human. Like I said in the previous chapter, other date chapters will be longer because they will be going out and exploring Seoul and it will be a weekend, so realistically they will have more time. They will have more moments than now since there will be more for them to do and they will be a bit more comfortable talking about themselves more in depth.
> 
> Things you learned about Daniel today: he is insanely attracted to Seongwoo, he can't stop staring at his lips, he has very naughty thoughts that he's ashamed of and tries to reel in, he likes feeding Seongwoo, he wants to spend all of his money on Seongwoo, he's started planning future dates, the dream that he was having the other night was quite the smutty dream, he thinks Seongwoo is hilarious, once he starts laughing he really can't stop, he will laugh at almost anything, he loves how pure and childlike Seongwoo is, he wants to protect and care for Seongwoo his whole life, he's already dreamed out their entire future, he is heavily affected by skinship with Seongwoo, he blushes and smiles a ton, he likes to mess with Seongwoo's hair, his happy place has Bengal cats in it, he enjoys slightly messing with Seongwoo since the boy can be fooled easily, and he has some interesting fetishes/kinks.
> 
> The next chapter will be about Daniel spilling his beans to Ong cat about his feelings for Ong human with Ong!cat's reactions. Seongwoo will reveal how he feels about Daniel having a crush on him(if he can even figure out what all these terms and things Daniel wants to do to him mean that is).  Also, there is a little surprise visit from the hyung line in which Sungwoon calls an emergency meeting to discuss something related to Daniel(and it's quite hilarious, except for poor humilated beyond belief Dan...)
> 
> See you soon! Let me know what you think of Dan's POV of their first official date if you've got the time! I really had fun with it this time because I find his exagerrated reactions to every little thing human Seongwoo does to be hilarious. I hope he made you laugh as well. 
> 
> <3 Raina


	11. Confessions and Sex Ed.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel comes home and tells his cat all about his amazing date and how much he likes Seongwoo. Ong!Cat is absolutely delighted and tries to tell him how he feels the same and also had the most wonderful time. There's some cute Dan and Ong!cat interactions. Then, when Daniel admits to his friends that he likes Seongwoo and wants to date him, his friends gather together to tease him and make him miserable with a sex education class. Seongwoo listens in as a cat but has no clue what they are talking about. He is intrigued and quickly wants Daniel to try to him what they're talking about, whatever it is. Daniel is humiliated. His friends are way too graphic and all kinds of evil. Overall just a really comical, nonsensical chapter that makes you blush, feel sorry for Daniel, and want to shield Ong's baby ears.

 "Hey there, pretty baby Seongwoo!" Daniel sang as soon as he walked in the room, seeming surprised to see the cat already in front of the door waiting for him.

     Seongwoo could tell certain humans' footsteps when they came down the stairs. Daniel walked rather heavy and slow, but today he had a bit of an energetic bounce.

     No wonder. Seongwoo was walking the same way. Their get together at the cafe was really, really, totally, wonjeon, daebak, hul great! He had had such a good time. It was like putting every happy day he'd shared with Daniel as a cat all together and then doubling it.

     Daniel had touched him and smiled at him a lot. He had been able to make Daniel laugh a lot too. Also, on top of that, it had been an educational time. He tried new foods and he learned a bunch of new words.

     'You're the best human ever, I still don't know what it means but I know it shows affection and you say it when another person makes you happy, so I love you, I love you~' He meowed loudly and purred hard, rubbing up against Daniel's legs in a full circle several times.

     As soon as the boy put down his bag, the cat climbed up his body and into his arms. Daniel was surprised but grabbed onto him reflexively so he didn't just bounce off his chest and fall down.

     "Ah, I love you very much too. Why is every Seongwoo so irresistibly cute and sweet? Between the two of you, you're going to rot my teeth and give me heart failure."

     Daniel pet Seongwoo and kissed his forehead. Oh, right kisses! I couldn't convince him to give me human kisses, but if I'm in my cat form, he will give me tons, I know it. Not nearly as good but it will have to do. I've got to get my daily doses of affection somehow.

     The shifter raised his head up pointedly. Daniel chuckled and obediently dropped his head with his plush lips puckered. Daniel pecked three quick times on Seongwoo's nose. Seongwoo snuggled more into him, purring with the utmost content. He sighed and laid his head on Daniel's chest, feeling much better now he'd finally gotten his desired kisses.

     "Such a good boy. You don't even mess up the house, get into the toilet paper, or spill your litter. I wish all cats were as behaved and clean as you. Let's get you that snack I promised, seeing as Jisung still didn't come home yet..."

     Daniel held the cat in one arm as he opened the fridge. He took out a small metal can and a yellow plastic barrel. Seongwoo looked at them excitedly, licking his lips. It seemed like ages ago since this morning when Daniel had promised his favorite snack. He'd totally forgotten. He was still pretty full from the cake and coffee, but a cat always had another stomach for tuna and milk, just like humans had for the thing they called de....zert.

     Daniel put them down on the floor and Seongwoo jumped down and ran to them eagerly. As he ate, Daniel talked in a rapid fire, rambling way like he usually did after he came home. Seongwoo understood that rather than that Daniel found a meowing cat or just himself a great conversationalist, he was mostly just procrastinating on his homework. It was clear Daniel hated it and he wasn't really into his major.

     Seongwoo had overhead from the guys' talk yesterday that Daniel was doing what his father wanted but what he had really wanted to study more was dancing. Apparently, it was a difficult, expensive thing to study and his parents didn't approve of it as a future job. He had danced a lot in high school but not since he graduated and he was really missing it. Seongwoo wished he could see Daniel dance sometime.

     "Did you have a good day? It must be nice to just play, sleep, and lick yourself all day. Ah, I tell you buddy, college life really sucks."

     Seongwoo licked some milk off his lips and meowed at him for awhile. 'I had a really terrific day. I learned a lot. I had these things called cake and lattes, and they were so yummy. I also met this really handsome, funny guy that I like a lot. I like him so much I wish he was a shifter, then he could be my mate every mating season for the rest of my life. But it sucks because that's not possible and I can't become fully human either, so we can never become mates. Still I enjoy every second with him even knowing we can never be together like I want. I've never been so happy in my life.'

     "Well, I'm not sure I caught all of that, but it sounds like you had a really great day. Happy for you, buddy." Daniel laid on the bed on his side, propping his head up on his arms, and smiled at him.

     Seongwoo knew he wouldn't catch any of that, but he wanted to tell Daniel anyway how much he liked him and how he really appreciated what he'd done for him today. Daniel had actually remained quiet and looked at him intently, like he'd actually been trying to listen and interpret random meows. 

     "Today I had a date, Seongwoo. With the most perfect guy in the world. We studied at a cafe. I had such a great time. He's so good looking, funny, sweet, and adorable. I felt so shy around him though. I guess because he's too handsome, it's distracting and intimidating. I keep getting all flustered and unsure of what to say to him. I wonder what he thinks of me now. Does he think I'm cool still? Does he think I'm handsome? Did he like my look? Did he already notice how much I like him? I know it's so obvious, but I really can't help it. I've never felt this way. I like him so much, even thinking of him now is making my heart race..."

     'He likes you too and he thinks you're really cool' Seongwoo jumped up to the bed and laid at his side, comforting him. He felt like he was floating in the clouds now, after hearing Daniel's confession. Their feelings were mutual. Which was terrific, even if he didn't know what to do about things from there, considering his secrets and situation. 

     "You really think so? Maybe you know more about relationships than me. I wonder how many more dates I should plan before I tell him and ask him if we can be official. He's never had a guy either, so I guess I should take it really slow. But I feel impatient because I want to hug and kiss him so badly. I wish you could talk and give me some advice..." Daniel sighed and laid back on the bed, staring up at the cieling, absently drumming his fingers on the cat's back.

     Seongwoo didn't know how to answer him. He didn't know what he wanted to tell or what it meant to be official. 'If you mean mates, then yes of course I will agree, and as for kisses and whatever a hug is, please please please don't make me wait long for those.' He wondered when human mating season was, if that's when they would become official as he'd said. Did humans possibly mate all year round? If so, they were extremely lucky, not having to wait to share affection. He was feeling impatient now he actually had someone he wanted to mate with and he could understand the frustrations of male shifters during the months of courting season as they waited to couple and mate with their chosen cat. 'Please don't say I have to wait long, like months....' 

     "Do you know what I like most about him? He's just like me. We've been through the same things. Being bullied, keeping our real self secret, never having gone beyond a crush on someone, both total virgins though we're college students. I never thought I would find that and now that I did, I really don't want to let it go. I don't want to lose him. Today, I felt like I might have been too forward though. I kept looking at his mouth and wanting to kiss him, you see. I couldn't keep myself from touching him or taking care of him. I wanted originally to approach him as a helpful friend. I wasn't planning on initiating skinship or showering him in compliments and affection. But I can't seem to control my feelings. I can't help wanting to be closer to him. I desperately want to touch his soft looking skin."

     Seongwoo purred as Daniel pet him as if he was thinking about touching his human form. It was almost like a caress, more gentle and sweet, different than how he usually pet him. Daniel sighed deeply and then chuckled and smiled wide as if he was thinking of Seongwoo now.

     "Ah, he's so funny, that Ong Seongwoo...so precious..."

 

 

     Both cat and boy jumped up when the door suddenly swung opened several minutes later. Seongwoo and Jisung both came in, holding hands and chatting amicably.

     "So...you sure look nice and smily, Dan. You had a date right?" Jisung teased when he saw Daniel's bright expression and then burst into giggles.

     Daniel flushed and stuttered. "It wasn't a date. We were just studying."

     "I saw you running with a boy today, a handsome, really tall one. It was that guy from yesterday, wasn't it? The one who is becoming famous. Ong Seongwoo? That's his name, right? I don't doubt he's in the fashion department but I don't recall ever seeing him. Not that I wouldn't love to be his friend. His hair looks so perfect, I want to steal his secrets."

     Daniel nodded. "I totally knew you would. He has really nice hair....on top of pretty much nice everything. I will ask him about it this weekend."

     "You're seeing him again already?!" Jisung suddenly jumped on his bed and tackled him, nearly sitting on Seongwoo. The cat squeaked in pain and scampered behind Daniel, glaring at Jisung around his back and nursing his tail.

     "Woops, sorry Seongwoo..." Jisung reached out and gently pat his head, which felt nice enough that afterwards Seongwoo pretty much decided to forgive him.

     Seongwoo had mixed emotions when they talked about him in human form. It was interesting to hear what people thought of him and, thankfully, it all seemed positive. At the same time, he was worried about leaving a trail that the sharper humans like Jisung would pick up on. Especially, he was worried now that he said he knew Jisung but Jisung clearly said he didn't. Hopefully, Daniel wouldn't be mad at him for lying about that.

     "Maybe he heard about you from someone else or overheard you talk about me with your classmates," Daniel shrugged, not seeming to care too much about the little detail about how Seongwoo had known his name.

     "You lucky dog! Your first boyfriend is the hottest guy on campus!" Jisung squeaked excitedly and then started grabbing his stomach and smacking his shoulder. "Ah, I'm so jealous~"

     "Yah, what am I then, chopped liver?!" Sungwoon yelled in offense, sitting on Jisung's bed by his lonesome, his expression grumpy.

     Sungwoon really hated to be cast aside for Daniel. It wasn't that he thought that Jisung had any feelings for Daniel. It was more of a complex he had about Daniel being taller and more masculine looking than him. He envied Daniel for that, so he felt just a tiny bit bad whenever they came in at first and Jisung went running to Daniel to chat.

     Daniel was a nice guy though, so he couldn't fully hate him for being an attention stealer or the second closest person to Jisung on campus. Daniel and Jisung had been put together by chance and just kind of clicked. They got lucky because that almost never happened. Him and his roommate were still awkward and rarely talked. That was the reason he was at their dorm room any chance he got.

     "Jisung, do I have to tell you a million times that I'm not gay and I don't like him?" Daniel sighed and frowned.

     "Well, it depends on if you can actually stand to lie that many times. You will definitely go to hell," Jisung teased with a huge, know it all grin.

     "Ughhhh...." Daniel laid down on his bed while groaning out in frustration, careful not to squish Seongwoo.

     Seongwoo mewed and put his paws on his owner's chest, giving him a serious, comforting look. Daniel looked at him desperately like he was pleading for advice somehow.

     'You can trust these two, go ahead and tell them. I think you will feel better after telling somone even just once. Let's try to start being open about it with our same friends at least.' Seongwoo encouraged his troubled owner,  letting out his sincere thoughts.

     Seongwoo didn't have any close shifter friends, especially none he suspected of also liking males so he hadn't told anyone about his dark secrets, but if he had had any, he would have certainly told them. It was hard keeping a burden like that and hiding your real self from everyone who cared about you. He hoped at least that some day Daniel could have people, besides himself, totally on his side and supporting him fully for who he is. That would at least relieve some of the depression and loneliness Daniel seemed to be struggling with here and there.

     Although Seongwoo himself had to continue struggling, but for now Daniel knowing in itself was a blessing  he had never expected to find when he ran away to disappear into the human world. He hadn't planned on telling a soul.

 

 

     "Alright, you win. I like guys. I like Ong Seongwoo...a lot already..." Daniel whispered, covering his eyes with his arm and his marshmallow like cheeks turning rosy from embarassment.

     "I knew it. I knew it! Don't be shy or ashamed of it, Daniel. The world needs more people like us. Actually, there's tons of people in hiding all around this country. There's online communities I can introduce you to. I've never seen someone go as long as you without coming out though. You really hung in there, stubborn. Wasn't it eating you up inside?"

     Daniel remained silent, unable to deny that it hadn't been, because it most certainly had and everyone in the room could guess what he'd been going through for decades keeping it all to himself in fear of bullies and ostracization. Seongwoo gazed at his down owner with the utmost sympathy. 'Things are going to be better now, you'll see. I'm proud of you for confessing. That was brave. You did a good job~'

     "We're chill, Daniel. Jaehwan and Minhyun too, just so you know. They actually figured about you a few weeks ago when they discovered something naughty on your tablet."

     Daniel groaned, covering his face in utter humiliation. Seongwoo was tempted to snicker because he was pretty sure he knew what Sungwoon was talking about. Those videos of humans kissing and doing other wrestling kind of games (he hadn't figured out what the purpose or name was for) had not one single female in them. It had been a big hint to him as well that Daniel really did like males. Though he still didn't know what they were doing that was considered naughty and why.

     "Shame on you, Daniel. You should always password lock your porn and never ever leave the name as a bird! It's so obvious that way. Anyone would click on it from curiousity. Do you know how excited I was when I started suspecting though? I could finally bring Sungwoon here over night. I could totally be myself. I always wanted a gay roommate, but even better now, I'm going to have a gay best friend roommate. We can talk about everything! So, by the way, how far have you gotten with Seongwoo?"

     Sungwoon seemed excited suddenly as well. "Does he like you? Have you kissed yet? What's it like kissing a guy who looks like a model?'

     Seongwoo pushed with his paw and nudged Daniel's hand with his nose, trying to get him to raise it. 'Yeah, Daniel explain what would it be like to kiss me and how do you think I feel so far. I'm dying to know~'.

     "Do we have to talk about this?" Daniel grumbled, stubbornly refusing to lift his hand.

     "Yes, we do! I've been waiting since yesterday. I could barely sleep. Even the kitty wants to know! Cut you a deal, tell you what. I won't bother you about what you or Seongwoo eat all week!"

     "Two weeks...this is very private information you're asking here." Daniel grumbled, jabbing a finger in his direction.

     Jisung rolled his eyes and then paused to think about it. "Hmm...okay, deal. I do really want to know what's going on with you and the infamous library hunk."

     Daniel sat up and then told them the details of how they met yesterday and how the date went today. They sat on the edge of the bed, gripping pillows and bouncing with excitement. 

     "Aw, that's really cute. Much more romantic than how we met. We got sent to the police station for fighting at a concert because I thought he groped me. But how far did you get though?"

     "Well..." Daniel blushed and rubbed his neck.

     "Not far. I just fed him and touched his hand and arm a few times."

     "Wait, Daniel is this your...first?" Jisung asked with a surprised grin.

     Daniel bit his lip, turning pinker. He looked at his fiddling thumbs and nodded slowly.

     "I confessed once in elementary school. It was a disaster. Then, I got bullied a bunch, so I transfered schools. Since then, I have been scared to admit it and I haven't confessed to anyone. Until now. It just spilled out yesterday when he hinted he liked guys and had been through some bullying too..."

     "Aw, so adorable! So, you guys are each others' first real crush? Oh, I can't wait to see where this goes. I'm going to help you out the best I can. You're already 22. We really need to get you your first boyfriend!"

     "Wait, wait, hold the phone! You mean to tell me you have never been laid?" Sungwoon butted in, looking completely dumbfounded.

     Daniel shook his head, turning flushed. "Worse than that. I'm a virgin at everything..." He mumbled, looking down with shame.

     "You mean to fucking tell me you haven't even been kissed even with the way you look? Ridiculous, unbelievable. But that's such a shame somehow..."

     "Daniel is a shy, pure boy even if he looks like he's fucked an entire soccer team. He's been waiting for the perfect guy to give it to. He's not like you, just giving up his virginity to some random older guy in the locker room at fifteen!" Jisung defended, wrapping his arm comfortingly around Daniel's shoulder.

     "Look who's talking, you lost yours at sixteen to the swim team captain! Just because you have some kink for abs!" Sungwoon shot back.

     They started bickering until Daniel stopped them with a shout.

     "Wow, wow, too much information guys! Majorly too much. I don't want to know anything about your sex life. Right now, I don't even know what sex is like, how unfair is that?" He yelled out with his hands blocking his ears.

 

 

     Seongwoo currently had a ton of questions as he was listening. What did laid, or sex, or virgin mean? What exactly did they want to know about how far him and Daniel went? Were they talking about how far was the cafe they went to? Were they supposed to go farther than that for some reason? Was it bad for two guys to hang out close to the school? Would people know they were...gay, as the humans called it?

     He was really confused because he was missing out on the most important parts of their conversation. What was wrong about not having kissed at their age too? What was a sex life?  

     He noted these things all in a corner of his mind he was planning on asking Daniel when they met this weekend. Daniel had said that he wanted to have a full afternoon where they could travel out around the city to some famous touristy places. If the weather was nice, they were going to go to the place called Hang Gang river for some food or activity he had called chimek. Seongwoo was excited though he had no clue what was in store for him. 

 

 

     "Jesus, we need to get you ready, Daniel. What if this guy is more experienced than you? You're such an obvious top. He's going to be expecting you to be good. If you're not good, you could lose him. Think about all the other roosters he will have to choose from all over the world with his modeling."

     "He's not a model. He's scared of crowds..."

     "Not yet. But he's definitely going to get picked up by someone. I saw his picture posted on the forum. He's gorgeous!"

     "What? Girls posted that?"

     Jisung went to his laptop and searched for the school's community page. The cat jumped up on the desk to see clearly as they all crowded around. He was curious what those diseased girls had been taking pictures of and how he looked. He'd never seen his picture taken.

     There were some blog posts with titles like 'about Ong Seongwoo, the foreign mystery model dropped from heaven.' There were all sorts or random information and a ton of rumors. It seemed no one knew anything real about him, thankfully. Just that he liked going to the library, he was in the fashion department, and he liked to read encyclopedias to improve his Korean.

     "Daniel, there you are too! They're calling you the 'rather good looking, monster broad shouldered, jerky manager' haha. Quite the title. How did they think of that?"

     Daniel scanned the pictures of him with Seongwoo, shielding him, running away with him and then sitting and talking at the library table. He made a mental note to save them later on his tablet or phone. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck like it hurt. Seongwoo looked over at him and meowed, 'sorry things got complicated for you because of me. It's all those diseased females fault...'

     "I pretended to be his manager because they were making him really uncomfortable. He was trampled before, so he's got a fear of crowds. I promise him I would keep acting that way whenever he needed to get the girls away. They're so crazy. Like sasaeng fans. He's just a student, not a celebrity though, what the hell? Why do they make it feel like it's a crime to be handsome? All he wants to do is study in peace but they're stalking him and bothering him whenever he goes outside his dorm."

     "Woah, you sound pretty protective there. You're cute when you like someone, Daniel. Can't believe we've been missing out on this side of you," Jisung teased. "I can't really blame you for being head over heels already. He's a heart-stealer. I haven't seen even many idols look as hot as he does."

     "Jaehwan! Is Minhyun with you? Great. Bring him over. We need to have an emergency meeting about Daniel. We need to have gay sex education. Immediately!"

     "Yah, what are you doing?!" Daniel jumped on Sungwoon and tried to get the phone he was talking on.

     "Don't you dare come, Jaehwan! If you even try to talk to me about sex, I will put your guitar in a paper shredder, I swear to god!" He shouted at the phone kept out of his reach.

     After that, Sungwoon and Daniel were arguing and wrestling around. Jisung stood, watching the scene and giggling. Seongwoo cocked his head as he watched the two playing around intensely. Daniel seemed really flustered now.

     Seongwoo was more curious than ever what this sex thing was Daniel hadn't done but everyone obviously had and why it made him so embarassed to talk about. Seongwoo, on the contrary, felt like it was always great to learn new things. He was excited to have the guys come over again. He hoped he could learn some of these new words. 

 

 

     "Happy sex education day to you, happy sex education day to you, good luck with deflowering, Virgin Daniel, happy sex education day to you~" Jaehwan sang with his guitar as the door to Daniel and Jisung's room was opened.

     Minhyun looked apologetic as he came in after the guitarist, but couldn't help chuckling in slight amusement at his lover's obnoxious actions. Minhyun had long past being annoyed when he did this kind of thing. Now he thought it was cute and couldn't help just smiling in an affectionate, helpless way.

     "Nope, that's it! Kim Jaehwan, you're dead today! Give me the guitar!" Daniel jumped up and flew from his bed in a cool almost ninja like move, tossing aside his tablet where he was playing some game to relieve his stress.

     Jaehwan threw the guitar to Minhyun who put it outside and shut the door quickly, blocking the door with his body. Daniel threw his jacket in frustration and did a dance that looked like a swimming squid, shouting out his rage. Seongwoo put a paw up to his mouth, covering a snicker.

     "Oh, funny dance!" Jaehwan said and then all the humans were doing the squid dance.

     Seongwoo looked at them with a confuzzled expression, his head tilted. 'I've seen a lot of humans, so I'm pretty sure I can say with confidence that these guys are all pretty wierd...'

      After that, they sat on the beds or floors and Jaehwan started talking.

     "So everyone, the gay sex expert is here today for a very important reason. Our sweet, pure maknae Daniel has reached the prime time when he needs to spread his pollen to another flower for the first time. Some call this process de-pollening. Before going on this wonderful, enlightening journey, I call this meeting to bring forth the lessons the wisers have learned. I ask for all of the blessings and guidance from my friends and the natural elements in this educational endeavor."

     Jaehwan sat cross-legged in the center of everyone, his hands on his knees and his eyes closed as if he was a monk meditating. Some people snickered, Minhyun looked at him like he was hopelessly beyond crazy yet still adorable, and Daniel rolled his eyes like he was done with life. Seongwoo scooted forward on the bed so he could hear the lesson from Mandu better. He rested his head in his paws and flicked his eyes around to each individual curiously. He didn't want to miss a thing in this amusing, supposedly educational event. He still had so much to learn about the human world after all.

     "Let's start from beginning with the art of forplay. There is no such thing as great sex without forplay. Without some foreplay, it is doomed to be a painful, uncomfortable event. Why don't we take turns going around, sharing our experiences with the foreplay that works wonders to increase the pleasures of de-pollening..."

     Minhyun, who was directed to go first, shared a look with Jaehwan and blushed. "Well, the last guy I was with was very fond of..."

     "Wait, wouldn't that be Jaehwan?" Sungwoon snickered.

     Jaehwan and Minhyun shared a surprised, nervous look and flushed.

     "Not necessarily," he stammered. "Anyway, a-hem. As I was saying, the last guy really liked it when I kissed his ears and neck and fingered his nipples..."

     Jaehwan coughed and hid a smile with his hand. "Good thing to note. Those spots are very sensitive..."

     Then, it was Jisung's turn. "In my experience, you need to makeout really hot with a ton of tongue..."

     "The best stimulation during sex I think is to curse. Like fuck yes, feels so fucking good..." Sungwoon added. Jisung nodded in agreement.

     Seongwoo's ears perked up as he heard that bad word earlier today Daniel had told him never to use. So that's when it was supposed to be used. But why only then? Did that mean that sex is something bad we shouldn't do? Or if it's bad, Daniel likely wouldn't teach it to me so I will never figure out what it is. Darn...

     He really wanted to know though. He figured he would wait to see if Daniel planned to do that with him and if he went a few weeks without it, he would straight out ask Daniel to go to sex or do sex or whatever. It sounded like something all his friends did and he didn't want his owner teased anymore because of not doing it.

     "Oh my god, I can't do this! I literally can't! You're making me feel like a teenager again in the most horrible way. Shut up, all of you~!" Daniel groaned, sticking his red face between his bent up knees and blocking his ears with his large hands.

     Jisung thumped his back. "This is for your benefit, Dan. You're going to thank us."

     Sungwoon joined in right after to lecture him more. "Yeah, trust me. I wish I had known things when I had my first time. If you don't listen and take our advice, it could be awkward and scary. You want to give Seongwoo a good time, right?"

     Seongwoo nodded in agreement. 'Yes, it's for me too, Daniel. You should listen to your elders, they want to help you is all. I want to have a good time and thus forplay on our date seems important. I don't know why you're embarassed, but do it for me.' Daniel glanced over at him under his arm as the cat mewed soft encouragement.

     "Ugh, I hate you all..." Daniel reluctantly looked up, glaring at them as he reluctantly gave in with the final push from the feline.

     After that, Sungwoon continued to talk about his ideas for this mysterious forplay business. Daniel was extremely red faced and trying to block them out it seemed as they talked about all these things that went totally over Seongwoo's head.

     Something later came up about 'prepping properly so nothing gets ripped' and 'wearing protection' and 'thrusting smooth like the flow of the ocean' and 'a journey for the mysterious prostate is difficult but not a myth.' While listening, Seongwoo felt even more confused about what this sex thing was that Daniel was supposed to eventually do with him. He wasn't sure if it sounded pleasant from what he had heard so far. It sounded kind of painful, complicated, messy and dangerous in fact.

     However, if Daniel was going to lead him through it and he really wanted to do it, then Seongwoo would. He would do pretty much anything for Daniel and he was pretty sure that he would enjoy it. Daniel wouldn't suggest something he wouldn't enjoy anyway. They talked on and on, and eventually Seongwoo fell asleep on the bed to the drone of their chatty, laughing voices. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is basically a bit of Ong!Cat X Daniel fluff and a whole bunch of comical nonsense and a pinch of the other hyung line couples and close bromances. Here's a run-down of the various relationships this chapter explores. Jisung thinks of Daniel as his sexy, handsome son and BFF. Jaehwan and Daniel are buds in the sense that they are childish and try to act cool all the time. Minhyun is the father type who cleans up and cares for everyone. Sungwoon is cool with everyone but he has a bit of a one-sided rivalry with Daniel. Daniel likes Sungwoon well enough but he tries to stay away from Jisung a bit so as not to make Sungwoon jealous more and misunderstand. Ong!Cat likes only Minhyun and sometimes Jisung, but he likes no one as much as he likes Daniel. Sungwoon X Jisung are now official, Minhyun X Jaehwan are official but not so open about their relationship with others. Minhyun is pretty obvious about how he adores and cares for Jaehwan who has a tendency to get in trouble and act immaturely/recklessly. Sungwoon and Jisung care about each other a lot but they tend go back and forth between arguing/teasing and flirting/being sweet with each other. Minhwan is a bit more pure/innocent than 2sung and not quite as close yet. 2sung is a bit closer to Daniel since they're often in the same room. Minhwan are extremely interested in Daniel's relationship progress.
> 
> I hope this chapter brought you a lot of laughs, at poor Virgin Daniel's humiliation and expense. I just had to do it though(sorry my lovely ultimate bias~). I love the idea of an embarassed, total Virgin Daniel(who's secretly perverted but would never ever admit it). I had a ton of fun writing this story, especially from Jaehwan and Sungwoon's POV. There's not too much from Seongwoo in this story, sorry. But he heard every little bit and piece of what they were saying which is later going to have a big impact on the progress of human Ong and Daniel's relationship when they start discussing intimacy. I liked putting in his thoughts here and there about the words that he heard and his guesses about what it all could mean. The next two chapters will be covering Ongniel's second date where they get much closer and more intimate. Prepare for a TON of fluff and comedy, also some pervertedness since it's in Daniel's POV. Thank you so much for reading, please leave a comment and let me know what you thought of this chapter. I really hope it was funny and sweet ^^ See you in three days or so!
> 
> Things you learned about Daniel and Seongwoo: Seongwoo knows the sounds of peoples' footsteps, he really enjoys dates with Daniel, they both have said they loved each other but the other person doesn't know, Seongwoo needs daily does of Daniel kisses, Seongwoo prefers human kisses and is scheming ways to get more, Daniel has a daily talk to his cat routine where he spills everything about his issues and thoughts and his feelings for Seongwoo, Daniel is always worried about how human Seongwoo thinks of him and how he should handle their relationship, they both want to mate with each other, Daniel FINALLY opened up about his orientation to his friends, Daniel is easily embarassed, Seongwoo is very caring concerned for and supportive of Daniel, Seongwoo has only ever come out to his parents, Seongwoo had a very educational day learning all kinds of words he probably really shouldn't know, lots of things about Seongwoo and Daniel are posted with pictures on the school forum which may or may not become an issue later, Seongwoo thinks his owner and all of his friend are quite wierd, Seongwoo doesn't understand fully what sex is but he wants to do it with Daniel, Seongwoo doesn't like it when the guys tease Daniel, sometimes Daniel really wishes he hadn't made friends with these guys. 
> 
> Things you learned about others: Jisung knows something is fishy with Ong Seongwoo, Jisung loves teasing Daniel but he's also very happy for him and often gives him dating advice, Sungwoon is jealous of Daniel and envies his looks and body, everyone knows about Daniel's video stash and orientation, everyone loves to tease him about being a virgin and his huge crush on Seongwoo and his cat addiction, Jaehwan is incredibly obnoxious but hilarious, only Minhyun can handle Jaehwan's wierd ways, Sungwoon and Jisung lost their virginity as teens, various kinds of forplay each person likes, everyone loves their maknae Daniel and really wants to help him. 
> 
>  
> 
> <3 Raina


	12. Pretty Moles 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel and human version of Seongwoo adventure out of campus for the first time to explore places in Seoul Daniel likes for their second official date. Daniel acts as a guide as well as a boyfriend and language instructor while Seongwoo, as curious as ever, causes all kinds of problems with his questions and moving before he thinks. He is all sorts of gullible and Daniel finds himself feeling guilty for taking advantage of all the things he doesn't know in the world and his undying trust. A lot of fluff, comedy, and sweetness occur, including skinship and kisses. I hope this chapter and the next which is a continuation of this awesome date leave you a pile of goo~

Daniel sighed as Jisung finished fixing his hair so it looked perfectly mussed in a neat, classy fashion. 'Fashion bed hair' as he called it. He looked over into the mirror with a judgemental eye.

     Jisung had dressed him up today for his date by request. Daniel really had no clue about what to wear and the last time he'd had to ask his cat after an hour of trying on everything he owned. Jisung had chosen a pair of blue jeans and a white sweater that looked more like winter clothes. Daniel guessed he would be hot in it but he looked kind, approachable, tan, and cozy.

     The whole look screamed 'I am innocent, gentle, and warm, you can trust me.'

     Isn't it kind of like lying to Seongwoo though? After what happened the last date, I'm not sure I can trust myself. I'm probably going to have all of these improper thoughts about him again, especially if he keeps on licking his scrumptious lips, which is the most seductive thing I've ever seen.

     Daniel breathed out again, bubbling out his cheeks into balloons. Good lord, I feel nervous. Do people usually feel like this right before they meet someone they like?

     He was worried something was going to go wrong with his plan and ruin Seongwoo's first day trip around the city. He was also worried that he was going to be boring or say something inappropriate, lame, or too forward. Because with Seongwoo, he had no functioning filter between his mouth and brain. He seemed to just spill out whatever he was thinking at the time.

     Today, what if he spurted out what he had been thinking so often last time, 'I really want to kiss you' ? Seongwoo would probably get scared off forever and his dream of a first boyfriend would fly out the window.

     "You're nervous, right? Let's run over the plan again," Jisung comforted, patting his shoulders.

     Daniel took a sticky note out of his jean pocket. "Meet at two at the library. Eat crepes for lunch. Take the subway to Hangang station. Walk along the river. Rent bikes. Get chicken and beer delivered. See the light and water show on the Banpo Bridge. Take him home..."

     "It's simple enough. You don't need to worry about the times. Just make sure you get a good spot when the sun starts setting for the lights show. It's beautiful and so romantic. Me and Sungwoon really loved it. Try to get a spot around where there's not many people so if the mood is right, you can sneak a kiss maybe. Also, don't be so uptight. If Seongwoo wants to do anything else, you go for it and you show him a good time. He might not like bike riding or crepes. In that case, you have to be ready with other suggestions. If he gets bored of the river or tired of walking, you can go into the city. You packed the blankets, snacks, and drinks, right? If you're tired of walking, sit down in the grass and just chat. Anyway, you guys still have a ton you don't know about each other, so I think you guys need to talk more. Get personal."

     Daniel went to his bag and checked everything was there that Jisung had mentioned, including some emergency 'just in case' items, like mouth spray, hairbrush, lip balm, tissues.

     "Do you need some condoms?"

     Daniel turned and flushed at the sight of his friend with a row of dangling, plastic square packages with clear colored circles inside. Daniel folded them up shoved them into the guy's chest quickly.

     "No! I told you I'm taking things slowly. If I'm very lucky, I will get one kiss. But I don't know if he even likes me. He could just be using me to learn about Korea."

     Jisung rolled his eyes and slapped his back with the plastic. He tensed and grunted with the pain the little sharp things inflicted. Whoever knew a condom slap could hurt? Well, he had never used one, so he didn't know much at all about them.

     Although last night the guys had demonstrated on a banana how to use one, which had made him want to jump out the window and kill himself he was so humiliated. Then, his Bengal cat had thought of it as a toy and he'd had to wrestle it away in case the cat got sick from the lubrication on the rubber. To every other guy's total amusement at their expense. He heard again that they were like a comedy duo.

     "No reason to stick around now. I should get going," Daniel murmured while looking at the clock but his feet felt heavy and his heart was weighing down on him with each thump.

     Suddenly, he really didn't want to go because he was worried he would do something to ruin all of his chances with Seongwoo.

     "You're going to do great, Daniel. Just be yourself. Don't be pressured. He likes you or he wouldn't have agreed to meet you again, I promise. Even if it was for studying, a guy wouldn't spend a whole day with someone he wasn't interested in. Now go! Go have a great time! Come back with your first kiss! Or better yet, don't come back at all and go all the way!"

     Jisung forced him into his backpack and pushed him to the door, slipping what he was afraid to see was a condom into his pocket. Ah, these guys, they were killing him. He wasn't going to try anything anytime soon. Nice and slow. Romantic, caring, helpful, and kind, he reminded himself, the plastic feeling like a scarlet P for pervert on his bottom.

     He took a deep breath and let it out, grabbing on to his backpack tight. Jisung had shut the door in case Daniel ran back in and decided to call the whole nerve-wracking thing off.

     "Alright then, date number two let's go..."

     "Have you seen Seongwoo?" He thought out loud, turning back to the door to go in. He hadn't seen the cat this morning.

     "He was sleeping under the bed last time I saw him. He's probably still there. You don't have time to play with that Seongwoo anyway. I will take care of him. You need to go play with your Seongwoo, so go already!" Jisung insisted from the other side of the door.

 

 

     Daniel knew just where the boy was in front of the library from the people that were pointing their cameras at one direction and giggling. There was only the back side of him visible. Seongwoo was wearing a tan cardigan and grey skinny jeans, his brown hair falling in perfect, messily styled waves. He was bent down and smelling a flower with a slight, pretty smile on his face.

(A/N: If you are wondering what Ong looks like today, look at this video and it's exactly the same in my mind! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82OTGP_9Rgk)

     Daniel gulped as he walked closer and got a shot of the boy's left profile. Oh my god, what is air? I don't know how to breathe. He has the prettiest moles!

     Seongwoo had moles on his neck, his ear, and on his chest that Daniel could see down his shirt since he was bent over. The most gorgeous moles he saw were on the boy's left cheek. There were three, small, round dots of equal size in a triangle. It reminded him of a constellation. Oh, he just got the most romantic idea for a birthday present! But unless Seongwoo was his boyfriend, he wouldn't have the guts to do it. It was way too out there.

     The girls giggled and whispered about how handsome and cute 'Seongwoo oppa' was. The boy was ignoring them, trying to just enjoy nature by himself. He stood up with his hands in his pockets, smiling down at the flowers in the library garden. Daniel's palms got sweaty, his heart thumped, his face flamed, and his mouth dropped open.

     Good lord, was Seongwoo tall and thin and his legs stretched on forever and the way that V neck and cross necklace made his exposed, sharp collar look inviting enough that he imagined himself biting and licking along it. Oh man, this is going to be even more difficult than yesterday. Why does Ong Seongwoo look like he's in a photoshoot every day?

     The clothes Seongwoo had on today were even better than the other times they met. He looked so cuddly and fuckable, the way everything was softly colored and oversized, which he imagined would make them easily accessible. Did he really have to wear the suggestive V neck and the tight pants? Ugh, couldn't he wear just a potato sack and some sweats? Oh god, he still looks attractive in that, he thought as he imagined it and the sweatpants were slipped up to reveal Seongwoo's legs and the potato sack's loose upper part revealed much of his neck and arms. Good lord, I'm not surviving today. I surrender to the whims of this beautiful man. He can do what he wishes with me, even if it's to throw me in the Han river.

     "Daniel! Over here! " The boy smiled radiantly, turning the full force of his pheremones to unknowingly attack on his subject of interest.

     Daniel felt like the inside of his body was drunk and high in a club, leaving him without any ability to function. He forced himself barely to keep walking and raise a shaky hand. Seongwoo jogged over to him with concern on his face. His cool hand pressed to Daniel's forehead and his face frowned a few inches in front of him. He even looks handsome like that, ridiculous!

     "Are you okay? Your coloring seems off?"

     Coloring seems off? Who says that? Daniel burst into chuckles, covering his mouth. Seongwoo seemed relieved.

     "You scared me. I thought you were sick again!"

     "Again?" Daniel mumbled to himself as he didn't recall being sick at all this week.

     Did he look ill before? Is that what he looked like when he was in front of the person he liked and all nervous?

     "Are you hungry? Let's go somewhere we can be alone." The girls were eying them and snapping photos with big smiles.

     Seongwoo nodded and touched his growling stomach. "I'm so hungry, I could eat a mouse!"

     Daniel chuckled as he grabbed the boy's arm to lead him away, performing his managerial duties properly to keep up the act. "Is that what they say in your country? In our country, the phrase is a horse, not a mouse. We used to eat horses. Some people still do in Jeju island."

     Seongwoo cutely dropped his mouth open in an 'aaah' of wonder. He really seemed to love learning new things. Daniel found it adorable since it was so opposite himself. Ever since he was younger, he had hated books, learning, and taking notes with a passion. The only thing he was interested in studying was the Philosophy of Ong Seongwoo, which he was diligently adding notes to.

     

List of interesting, amazing and adorable facts about Ong Seongwoo.

 

* seventeen, Seongwoo likes flowers. Makes sense seeing as he's as pretty as one.

* eighteen, Seongwoo is kind of a nerd. Reminder to buy him some nerdy glasses and take a picture of him chewing on a pencil, it would be so hot!

* nineteen, he has the prettiest moles, they are so biteable. Name a real constellation after him and show him the certificate later as a present, if you ever get blessed enough to actually officially date him.

 

     Daniel's eyes went to the mole at Seongwoo's neck and then those pretty ones on his cheek. He was struck with the strongest urge to kiss it. They looked as kissable as his thin, shapely, naturally curved up in a permanent smile lips. Suddenly, Daniel was looking at those pouting lips.

     "Daniel, you don't look well again. You're sweating and red faced. You must have a fever. Maybe we should reschedule."

     The boy stopped and then started to walk toward the library. Daniel grabbed his hand and pulled him along the street. A warm, jittery shock went through him, making him shiver and grow redder. Seongwoo looked at their clasped hands and smiled shyly, his prominent cheekbones painted a rosy hue.

     Daniel thought about letting go right away but thought better of it. He wanted to be clear about his feelings today so Seongwoo didn't friend zone him. After today, Seongwoo was going to know Daniel honestly liked him, so then if he agreed to go out again, then Daniel would have some idea if the feeling was mutual or not.

     Not that he was going to confess. He just planned to be a lot more touchy. The boy squeezed his hand back, letting himself be dragged along.

     "I'm fine. I just feel a bit hot because I wore a sweater and it's not even winter yet," Daniel joked with a soft, encouraging grin.

     The boy looked at him and matched his grin with a prettier one of his own. Daniel felt like he was melting into a marshmallow puddle.

     His smile is so sweet, innocent, and gorgeous. Remember to breath and walk and talk. Don't freeze up body, I know it's hard, he pushed himself hard to snap back into his senses. They walked away from the campus down the street, still holding hands.

     "Have you ever had a crepe, Seongwoo?"

     "A cr..crupe?" Seongwoo repeated with a head tilt.

     "Crepe," he corrected slowly, biting back a laugh and a smile at the utter adorableness.

     Daniel had Seongwoo repeat after him a few times until he got the pronunciation down perfectly. Daniel explained its history and what it was. He had done research after finding this famous crepe shop nearby. In the research, he had noted down about its relation to France, how it had developed in Japan, and how it had come to his own country through the colonization period and tourism.

     Seongwoo seemed fascinated. Luckily, he was able to remember everything. This morning, he had written down notes and practiced and memorized. He studied harder for this date than he did in his finals. It was funny to see how well he could do if he was actually interested in the subject at hand. And keeping Seongwoo amused and entertained was the funnest homework he'd ever encountered.

     "Oh, wow. What's..."

     Seongwoo had a tendency to ask two or three questions to every explanation Daniel offered. Seongwoo seemed able to remember every word that Daniel said and then asked him to explain it. Since he wasn't always prepared for that, it could be difficult. He had to use Google a lot for the images. That helped Seongwoo understand the most. He wished he had studied more in high school though, that way he could explain more about what happened with wars and such. 

 

 

     Before Daniel knew it, they had walked the whole way to the crepes shop, which was about a twenty minute walk if he remembered from his plans.

     "Oh, so that's how it is. It's like a mix between a pancake and a sandwich. How intriguing," Seongwoo murmured with widened, sparkling eyes as he excitedly looked at the menu display of fake yet realistic looking plastic crepes on white plates.

     Intriguing, who uses that word? Daniel covered his mouth and disguised his laugh as a caugh. He didn't want to hurt his feelings. It wasn't that he thought Seongwoo was lame or nerdy for using large, fancy words. It was common with language learners because they wanted to impress others. But it just sounded so unusual considering he looked like a typical young, cool, Korean guy. Daniel found the contrast appealing. He grabbed the other's hand and pulled him close, enough to smell his citrusy perfume that was oddly a lot similar to Jisung's.

     "You're too cute!"  

     The boy blushed and bit his lip, looking down at his tapping forefingers in shame. "Why did I do something strange again?"

     "No, I just like how you get so excited about food. Seems like I chose the right place. Wait until you actually try it. You're going to fall in love! So, you can get a sweet dessert one or a savory one. Which one?"

     Seongwoo squinted and bent over, so he was closer to the glass. He looked at every plate a few times with a troubled expression.

     "You can't choose, huh? Well, since I have an idea of what your tastes are this time, I will choose four and we can share, hmm?"

     Seongwoo nodded and flashed a grateful smile.

     "Aigoo, so cute..." Daniel sang, happily ruffling his hair that somehow went magically back into its proper place, looking wonderful as usual.

     Seongwoo blinked and giggled, pushing up into his hand in that affectionate, sweet way he had. He seemed to really like it when Daniel called him cute and touched him. Just like his cat at home did. 

     Daniel pulled Seongwoo by the hand into the shop and ordered. Seongwoo was looking around at the interior. There were many pictures of famous people that had visited and their signatures. Daniel explained the ones he knew of as they waited for the crepes to come out. Seongwoo was absently playing with the ring on Daniel's finger, making it spin around. Daniel took it off and slid it on one of the boy's fingers.

     "If you like it so much, keep it. I have like twenty more. Think of it as a welcome gift."

     Seongwoo raised it up to look at it, then he pressed it to his lips with the most precious, pleased smile.

     "It's warm..thank you..." Seongwoo's response made Daniel's grin widen. 

     It's warm because I've put my heart into it and gave it to you with the other half you already stole. God, did I just think that? Ugh, so cheesy. This boy's got me totally whipped and he doesn't have a clue. Lucky ring, touching those sweet lips first. When is it ever going to be me...

     "Can you teach me how to use the mind reading power? I want to test it out..."

     "Uh.. Honestly, about that..." Daniel hesitated, scratching his neck sheepishly.

     "Crepes are out."

     Daniel got the crepes and took it to a table.

     "Let me show you how to eat it first. Careful of your clothes, it gets messy. You grab the wrapper tight with your hands and hold it straight up. Then, you lean way over the tray in case you spill and bite from the corners in."

     He demonstrated with a large bite of a banana chocolate cream one. Seongwoo sat down and tried doing the same with a strawberry one but he couldn't get a grasp of it. Strawberries and ice cream plopped on his hand. He made a face as he looked at the mess, clearly his obsession with being clean bothering him. Then, he lifted up his hand and licked it.

     "That's what our country has wet tissues for. Such a caveman!" Daniel teased as he grabbed the boy's hand and carefully wiped the sticky goo off his fingers.

     Seongwoo looked at the food with sad puppy eyes. "What's wrong? You don't like it?"

     "No, that's not it. I'm just terrible at eating this kind of thing. I'm scared to waste it and make a mess..." He murmured with disappointment.

     "I will feed you then," Daniel offered brightly.

     "Really?  Thank you, sorry I'm such a handful..."

     He leaned over the tray and opened his mouth. Daniel chuckled and put the other corner of the one he'd been biting from inside. The boy bit and Daniel was ready to wipe off the whip cream and chocolate this time before the boy could lick it himself. He was not going to let his thoughts slip dirty places if he could prevent it.

     "I don't mind. I like taking care of you. It makes me happy."

     Seongwoo chewed and grinned.

     "It makes me happy too," he said after he swallowed. "Someday when I'm better at doing things your way, I will take care of you too. It's a deal?"

     He held out his hand. Daniel eagerly shook his hand and flushed with a huge grin he half covered.

     "Deal. Now eat up!"

     Daniel fed Seongwoo more of the crepes, saying that he wasn't so hungry since he had had a large breakfast. That was a lie. He just wanted to share the food and Seongwoo seemed to really like it almost as much as cakes. Usually, he didn't share his food with others but for Seongwoo he'd make an exception.

     "I like Italian food and ramen and meat. What's your favorite food?" He asked to keep the conversation going.

     Jisung had told Daniel he really needed to talk to Seongwoo so they could get to know each other. Then, they would be able to get closer and intimacy would naturally follow. 

     "I really like tuna and banana milk!"

     "Tuna?" He really wasn't expecting that kind of combination.

     "Um...tuna sandwiches," Seongwoo corrected with a sheepish grin.

     "Ah, well, I will keep that in mind the next time we eat."

     "No, no, that's alright. I want to try new things you like.  Like, um...Oh! I want to try pizza. It looks really good!"

     "Ah, I will keep that in mind too. You sure do like to eat, Seongwoo. Where does it all go though?"

     "Hmm, I think you know where it all goes...in the bathroom..." He flushed.

     Daniel flushed too. "I didn't mean anything dirty!" He hurried to explain, not trying to be perverted. "I mean you look so skinny. How do you not gain weight? I gain weight very easily."

     He couldn't help glancing over Seongwoo's body since the boy was touching himself like he was checking where the fat had moved to. Can you get more precious? So gullible!! Ugh, and that lean, lithe, graceful body makes my mouth water whenever I imagine his clothes disappeared...

     "Well, I'm not sure where it goes. I have always ate a lot but stayed the same weight. Maybe I just have superior genes?"

     "Your metabolism must be high, so lucky. I wish I was like that."

     "Why would you wish you were like me? Your body is fit and manly. I wish I looked like you."

     Daniel felt self-conscious, scratching the back of his neck and smiling shyly. He complimented me, I could just swoon on the spot!

     "I try to work out when I've got time but it's less effective because I don't diet like I should...." He murmured humbly, feeling uncomfortable getting compliments.

     "Can I ask you a question?"

     "Sure anything!" He said brightly, wondering what it could be that had Seongwoo looking so shy.

     "What do men do to get something that looks like chocolate on their stomachs?"

      Daniel thought for a second, absently thinking about chocolate as he touched his stomach. He searched on his phone and showed a picture.

     "You mean abs?"

     Seongwoo nodded excitedly, flipping through pictures of shirtless men. "Yeah, I want to get some of those...as long as it doesn't make me sick or deformed. What do I eat to get like that?"

     "Well, you don't eat chocolate, I can tell you that much from experience," Daniel chuckled, finding his naivete as amusing and endearing as ever.

     Seongwoo looked down with a bashful expression and pink tint flaring up on his cheeks. "Ah, really? That was silly of me to think."

     "No, I get it. Maybe people in your country aren't concerned about being fit with your awesome metabolism and killer height. I don't know if it will work for you, but I will show you some tricks. "

      Daniel showed some sit-ups and push-ups on the floor. Seongwoo sat on the floor and tried to do one sit-up, but he fell back on the floor with his legs rolling up, a surprised expression on his face like he didn't get what happened.

     "I will hold your legs. Put your hands behind your heads."

     Daniel taught him how to move and put his hands on Seongwoo. Oh, wow, he feels so nice and lean and cuddly. He held the other's legs and Seongwoo sat up, breathing out. Their faces came closer every time he came up. I regret this. Oh, I regret this so hard. I want to kiss him so bad. He's right there. Jesus, if I leaned just a tad more, he'd bump my lips on his way up. I could pretend it's an accident. Should I do it? Do I dare?

     But Daniel was too much of a coward and also he didn't really want their first kiss to be an accident in public. Seongwoo kept looking at him and smiling slightly, his face red. It appeared as if he was thinking the same thing and waiting for Daniel to make a move. It was dangerous, that look, and extremely tempting. He let go and jumped up.

     "Let's go to the next place!"

     He pulled up Seongwoo who looked a bit dazed. His legs wobbled uneasily and Daniel caught him around the waist. Oh boy, too close, way too close! May day, may day! 

     Their chests were pressed together where Seongwoo was leaning on him. Their faces were an inch apart and because their heights were similar, they were in the perfect position to kiss. Seongwoo suddenly looked down and steadied himself, then the chance was gone. Daniel's hands lingered over Seongwoo's cardigan, reluctant to let go of him yet. Daniel had a perfect view of his constellation like mole mark. He was stuck with a very strong urge to kiss it.

     Seongwoo jumped and gasped when he felt the brush of lips on his skin. He stood there totally still with a shocked expression on his face, his big eyes even huger.

     "Sorry, accident," Daniel murmured, quickly stepping back from having kissed his cheek out of weakness.

     "You know, in my country, if some other person kisses your moles a lot, they will go away we say. A kiss a day keeps the mole away," Daniel quickly joked and laughed to cover up his grave mistake. He wasn't brave enough to confess why he did it and ask how the other felt about it.

     "Ah, is that so? I don't mind then. I have lots of those that need to go away..." Seongwoo responded, brushing his cheek and smiling slightly.

     Oh god, he's so innocent and totally easy to take advantage of. I feel so terrible. How could he possibly believe that...?

     His heart jumped and his body froze as the boy jumped towards him. He closed his eyes naturally, feeling frightened and nervous. He felt soft lips peck near his closed right eye. Ah, that's where he had a very visible mole. That's what he got for making this all up, forgetting about his own mole. He should have thought about it, before he created a tortuous situation that would make his words come back to bite him on the ass like this. 

     "I like this cute mole, honestly, but if you want me to get rid of it, then I will help! Just let me know when you need a kiss," Seongwoo stood back with a radiant, much too childlike grin.

     God, he has no idea what he does to me. Ahhh, seriously... He's going to be the death of me. He was smoldering from a peck on the cheek. How can I possibly actually kiss him? I will pass out first!

     "Ah, t-hanks, Seongwoo..."

     "Daniel, I have more moles here. Can you give them treatment too?" he suddenly asked sweetly.

     Daniel's heart was on overdrive, his pants uncomfortably tight, and his face hot enough to fry an egg. He was sure Seongwoo hadn't meant it, but he sounded completely like he was flirting. So naturally suggestive and moe moe, ugh I will never watch porn again if only he would be mine...

     "U-um, I will, um...maybe later. It's wierd to do here, people think it's something to do in private..." He stuttered.

     "Oh, okay..." Seongwoo frowned, slightly pushing out his lower lip. 

     Bless his heart, did this boy seem disappointed at not receiving innocent kisses from me? But the idea of kissing his neck and chest he had been pointing to was much too exciting. He was sure if he put his lips on Seongwoo's skin with his permission this time, he'd lick or suck or bite him, and that would cause an incredible scene here if either of them slipped out a moan or something. But the idea was incredibly hot and he truly hated to pass up on the opportunity.

     He wished it meant something but he wasn't sure. That's not how he wanted Seongwoo to say he wanted to kiss him. He thinks it is a medical treatment, shit. Should I still take advantage of his innocent offer later? Damn, why do neither of us have a mole by our lips? That would be the perfect excuse. 

     "There's somewhere fun we're going to. I've got the whole day planned. Let's go!" He offered his hand to Seongwoo.

     Seongwoo smiled again in that gorgeous, sincere way of his and put his hand in the other's palm. They clasped hands and left like that to get to the subway.

 

 

     "Oh my god! What is that?" Seongwoo jumped and clung to Daniel, a look of utter terror on his face.

     The express subway train had just passed by, making noise and shaking the platform.

     "It's a train. You don't have them in your country?"

     Seongwoo shook his head, looking left and right for another one to come. "What is it for?"

     "It's like a big bus. It goes on metal bars called tracks. It's a cheap, comfortable way to get around for people who don't have a car. Are you scared of it?"

     Seongwoo nodded and squeezed his arm as another subway passed on the opposite side. Daniel hid his chuckle, not wanting to embarass him.

      "It isn't dangerous. It's more comfortable and safe than a car, I promise," he reassured, patting the scared boy's sweatered arm. "Just hang on to me until you're comfortable. I'll protect you if something happens."

     When the train came,  Daniel led Seongwoo inside. Seongwoo jumped over the gap between the train and the platform because he was terrified of falling in, despite Daniel said he had him tight and would never let something happen like that. Ah, such a scaredy cat, that is the most adorable thing he's done so far.

     Then, they sat down in a corner, with Seongwoo clinging to his arm and looking all around. It reminded him of his cat when he'd first arrived at his dorm. If he had ears, they'd he twitching wildly and if he had a tail, he would be tucking it between his legs.

     "It's alright, Seongwoo. It's safe," he whispered to the slightly shaking boy just as he had for his cat on their journey across campus the first time, linking their fingers together over his arm.

     He whimpered and snuggled into Daniel when the train jolted into movement. When another train passed, he jumped up and hissed, unmistakably this time. Daniel couldn't help laughing, but he felt bad about him being scared of trains, so he tried to distract him from it by talking.

     "No trains, huh? How do people get around?"

     "Cars sometimes, mostly walking," he answered.

     "I guess you don't live in a city then..." Daniel observed.

     "No, I live in the middle of the woods and for awhile I was living in a country town."

     "Ah, I see. What kind of place was it?"

     "A boring one. With people who aren't good looking or fashionable. And not all of this interesting food, trains, and places. It's more quiet and dirtier."

     "Sounds like you didn't like it much."

     "Not at all!" Seongwoo made a disgusted face and shivered.

     "You like the city so far?" Daniel asked hopefully, wondering if he was doing a good job showing him around and teaching him so far.

     "Love it!" Seongwoo answered with a large grin, seeming more comfortable and relaxed now. At least his fearful shaking had stopped.

     "Don't you miss your family? What were they like?"

     "I don't miss them at all. They're mean, boring, controlling people with closed minds. I have a mom, dad, sister, lots of other relatives. But they're all exactly the same. You wouldn't like them."

     "Oh, sorry to hear that. I would still not mind meeting them someday. I'm curiously who you look like..."

     "Let's hope you never do. My father really wouldn't approve of you and me being..."

     "Friends?" he suggested, thinking that's what he would have to classify them for now. 

      "Yeah, we don't become close to outsiders ever. It's a very closed community."

      "Ah, interesting. I'm really curious about your culture. Can you tell me about it?"

     "Um, well...You know that guys cannot be with guys and that we do not become friends with other people outside the community. We eat a lot of very simple food. We live in the woods. We do farm work and we're pretty serious. We also have this thing about...dating. We don't get married. You are supposed to date someone twice a year only. For about a month."

     "What, I've never heard of anything like that in any other culture. Tell me more!"

     "So, we have a courting season and a mating season. During courting, we show interest in each other after coming of age. Then, during mating season, the males, I mean men, choose who they want to mate with. Then, they date as you call it, we call it mate, for about a month, maybe two if the couple really like each other. Then, they can choose again or choose another the next courting season."

     "So, no being exclusive together forever? Hmm. I think lots of Korean men would like that. No getting hurt if they fall for someone else and no idea of cheating. Everyone okay with that? What about families, how do you have children and care for them?"

     "If you have children from the mating season, then the female and male have to live together. But they are free to mate with others if they wish. My sister has a different mother."

     "Simple. No jealousy?"

     "What's that?" Seongwoo asked curiously.

     "Jealousy is when you like someone but you get really angry seeing them with some other person."

     "Ah, well of course sometimes that happens. But they hide that feeling in my country. Because even if you're jealous, you cannot control who the person you like chooses. You have to make yourself more appealing during courting season."

     "So, what happens with courting season? Is it like what we call flirting?"

     "Well, I don't know what that is, but it's probably similar. You groom yourself to look nice, you show how witty and intelligent you are, you show off your talents, you talk a lot and touch a lot, you tempt the other with your smell."

     "Oh, it's the same idea as flirting then."

     Daniel felt a spike of jealousy and hurt. Seongwoo certainly seemed to know a lot about this for being a virgin. Had he actually tried to court some male, being all seductive and tempting? He hated to imagine the boy he liked flirting with someone.

     "Did you try it? Mating too?" he gulped.

     "Ugh no. I hated courting. Those females were smelly and too touchy and noisy. I turned them all down left and right. I've never mated, not even close. I don't even know exactly what it is."

     Bingo. He's a total virgin. Exactly what I hoped. I don't need to feel jealous or worried. He has no one to compare me too. Thank goodness...

    "What about another guy? You didn't have a guy that you liked?"

     "Um..well.." Seongwoo flushed and his eyes grew distant.

     That made his heart prick. Of course he had at least liked another guy. He pondered what kind of guy. Was he just as tall and good looking? Did I pale in comparison? He started chewing on his nails as he waited for Seongwoo to say.

     "I didn't have a guy I really liked exactly. I just knew that talking to guys during courting season was more interesting than girls and I seemed to always be looking at their bodies more often, wondering what mating would be like."

     Shit, that meant sexual fantasies. This innocent, precious sweetheat could have sexual fantasies. Oh, please fantasize about me like I do about you regularly. Then, let's get this courting stage going so we can act out on those.

     "So...what kind of types are you attracted to?" Daniel asked, trying to sound breezy and casual.

     "Hmm, people who are handsome and tall and kind and caring and funny and talkative..."

     "Well, that's quite a list," Daniel chuckled. It was similar to his ideal.

     "I know. And there was no one like that at my town. So, I never found someone that I wanted to mate with."

     Thank god you didn't yet. I want you to be all mine and only mine.  "Maybe you will be luckier here."

     "Maybe I already got lucky..." Seongwoo commented with a mysterious, suggestive tone.

     They shared a smile and squeezed their hands that were linked between their legs, Daniel hiding them under Seongwoo's sweater. He barely stopped himself from gasping out loud. Did he just hint what I think he did? Oh, how much I like you, Ong Seongwoo, you sweet, pretty, adorable man! I want to be your mate! And then do lots of things like--Nope, stop the pervertedness right there!

     His eyes drifted to Seongwoo's moles and his lips again as the boy looked down in embarassment. He wanted to kiss him so badly now, it was near impossible to control. He was going to attack this precious boy before the night was up, he was pretty sure now. His feelings were just out of control now. He was nearly positive Seongwoo liked him back and was attracted to him.

     He wouldn't mind one little kiss at least, would he? I will make it an innocent one since it's our first. I won't even attempt a little tongue. Unless he initiates it, well, that's a whole nother story. I think he wants to kiss me too. I should just go for it. We've already met three times, that sounds efficiently slow enough. How should I create the opportunity and the mood to initiate it though...

 

 

List of interesting, amazing and adorable facts about Ong Seongwoo.

 

* Twenty, Seongwoo is scared of subways. When he is scared, he gets really clingy which I absolutely love and must keep in mind. 

* Twenty-one, he likes to use big words and idiums.

* Twenty-two, he likes tuna and banana milk. Huh, that sounds familiar...

* Twenty-three, Seongwoo likes abs. I better make mine more chiseled before we ever...um, get to you know...

* Twenty-four, his culture is really wierd but kind of awesome, for men anyway.

* Twenty-five, Seongwoo hasn't done anything with anyone. I'm going to be his first everything, YES!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is pretty long and the next is even longer haha. Hope you guys don't mind. I figured you won't since it's all Ongniel here and in the next one. This is the first part of their second official date. l promised before that the date would be longer and have more going on compared to their coffee date because they get to spend the entire day together and naturally, they're not just studying so there's more room for them to talk about. It's about 30% through here.
> 
>  This part contains quite a bit more dialogue because I really think that it's important for them to get to know each other. Actually, I think the way they talk to each other is sweet and shows a lot of their personality as well. Not sure if that comes across like I want it to though. There's some important things relevant to later events in the story that are hidden in their meaningless conversations so try to recall. I really enjoyed writing Virgin, head over heels, super caring and sweet, fanboy Daniel. He is so good to Seongwoo but he secretly wants to be so bad to him and he's always fighting with himself inwardly which I think is an interesting contrast(one minute, Dan wants to snuggle him, the next minute he wants to ravish him).
> 
> I hope mainly with this episode that you learned some things about them and also that you could really feel their chemistry. Oh, and that you thought their 'first kisses' were sweet and funny. With how naive Seongwoo is and how impulsively perverted and hard to control his feelings Daniel is, I couldn't give them just a normal kiss. I snatched the opportunity to make Daniel do something impulsive and then say something STUPID that Seongwoo would totally believe was true and take advantage since he loves kisses and he's been looking for the opening to do them as a human, and of course that Daniel would regret he ever said that. I like the idea of Daniel trying to cover things up and having his plans backfire because Seongwoo is just so innocent and trusting. It's got to be torture for Daniel the way Seongwoo is so touchy feely and straight-forward yet so painfully innocent. There will be lots more 'treatment kisses' in the future hehe. But their first kiss still has a ways to go(I will make it a real, honest to god, serious, loving one whenever they first confess).
> 
>  
> 
> Things of NOTE that you learned today: Daniel has a thing for Seongwoo's moles, Jisung likes to help Daniel plan his dates, Daniel plans to take things with Seongwoo slow, Daniel plans hours for his dates and researches a lot of extra information for Seongwoo to be entertained, Daniel likes feeding Ong, Ong wants Daniel's abs, Seongwoo is frightened by trains, Daniel is good at protecting/comforting Seongwoo, they both enjoy natural skinship and touch each other often, Seongwoo's family wouldn't approve of his relationship, in the shifter world there's no idea of marriage or being exclusive, Seongwoo not only has never mated he doesn't know anything about courting/flirting, Seongwoo's ideal matches Daniel perfectly, Seongwoo kind of sort of confessed to Daniel first. 
> 
>  
> 
> Next chapter is the continuation of this date from Ong's POV. They will so some fun things, there will be more comedy and fluff, and eventually more skinship and kisses~ Thanks for reading and commenting every chapter, I really appreciate it! See you next week around Tuesday or Wednesday!


	13. Pretty Moles 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ongniel's second date continues at the Han river. A course of bike riding, skateboarding, picnicking and a water fountain show. You will learn lots more about the couple as they learn about each other because it's just the two of them and they've got nothing better to do than to talk. Get ready for the first kiss(kind of sort of, prob not what you are really hoping for) and lots and lots of comical, fluffy, romantic moments! It's also the longest chapter of this story to date.

 Today is such a wonderful day! We're talking, flirting, touching, and we even exchanged human kisses. Bummed he denied more, I wanted to kiss in other places now he is actually awake. But he did say maybe later! Please, I love human kisses! 

     Seongwoo was excited for what they had done on this outing date so far, especially about the touching and kissing. This was the third time they had met and Daniel had never been so affectionate as today. It was so unbelievably nice. It made him all tingly and his heart race and he couldn't stop smiling. Skinship came a bit more naturally to the both of them every time.

     We held hands properly just the way I saw Jisung and Sungwoon do. It felt so nice, I had no idea his hands were so warm and soft and even bigger than mine. They packed so much strength, but Daniel used them with such gentleness. His lips as they had brushed on Seongwoo's skin felt like a fluffy dandelion before its white seeds turned into a yellow flower.

     His arm as Seongwoo wrapped his hand around it was solid muscle and much thicker than his own. It felt like arms that would be good at shielding him and picking up heavy things, which he really was no good at since he was a weakling who never exercised his human body.

 

 

     Eventually, they got off the foul, scary train safely. Seongwoo had been worried for their lives for a bit there, that they were going to crash with the other trains or flip off the tracks in the middle of a turn. Daniel took him to a place that looked like a giant park with sidewalks, green grass fields, a huge river and a bunch of bridges.

     There were skyscrapers and towers in the distance and the sound of distant cars passing all around. On the sidewalk, people were walking, riding bikes, skateboards, scooters, some listening to music or chatting on the phone if they were alone. On the grass, people were sitting on blankets, talking, reading books, playing on their phones, sleeping and eating. Some people even brought triangle mini houses made of cloth.

     "Welcome to the hottest spot to hang in Seoul, Hangang Park! It goes for miles and miles, looking just like this. You can do all kinds of things except swimming because the water is dirty." Daniel danced around with his arms wide in a circle.

     Seongwoo copied him. As he spun, the breeze felt nice and cool on his skin and the air smelled clean and fresh with bits of droplets stolen from the water by the wind.

     "Ong Songwoo is here, Hangang park!" He shouted, making Daniel laugh.

     Other people turned and giggled. But thankfully no one took out phones to record him here or seemed interested in approaching. He really wanted a full day with Daniel where he wasn't interrupted by strange, diseased female humans.

     Daniel shh-ed him gently. Seongwoo bowed to the people close by and apologized sincerely. Oh no, I hope my rudeness isn't embarassing Daniel...

     "Seongwoo, let's take a walk!" Daniel called and motioned him over to where he was standing several yards away.

     Seongwoo smiled as he caught a look at him. Daniel was more gorgeous than ever. The sun made his dark skin glow golden and his perfect white teeth sparkle like diamonds. The wind tousled his baggy shirt against his body and his blonde hair over his eyes in an attractive fashion. He looked like a sun god.

     Seongwoo rushed over to him, smiling wide and giggling with giddiness. He was already so happy and the main part of their date hadn't even started. At this point, he was going to lose control of his feelings and shout what he was thinking, 'I like you a lot Kang Daniel, I wish I could be your mate and we could do this together every mating season and a million other similar things, I want to spend every day with you and you only, you make me so happy I can't recall anything that I've been through when I'm with you.'

     However, he couldn't afford to say something like that. Daniel and him had only known each other for a week(as humans). He didn't want to scare Daniel away by being too fast. He didn't know anything about courting in any country since had never done it, but it seemed like compared to shifters, humans took things slow.

     They strolled down the sidewalk side by side. Seongwoo pointed at things, asking Daniel what they were. Daniel as usual explained with care and detail. He even explained the history of the river and certain buildings which made him sound incredibly smart. I'm sorry for thinking you were dumb, I take it back. You actually know a lot of useful things.

 

 

     "What's that?" Seongwoo asked as he passed another colorful cloth triangular shaped mini house, this one with people sleeping inside of it.

     "Ah, that's a tent for camping."

     "Camping?"

     "You live in the woods and you don't go camping?" Daniel asked with surprise and disbelief.

     Seongwoo flushed. Oh, darnit, this must be something woods related then, now I feel lame. Why can't I ever appear smart and cool in front of him?

     "We live in different houses, not like that..."

    "These people aren't living here," Daniel laughed. "Camping is when you go out into nature with your friends and family. You sleep outside in a tent and cook meat on a barbeque, sing songs, and roast marshmallows and sweet potatoes on a fire. You could also play games, drink beer, look up at the stars..."

     "Wait, so you're telling me people here voluntarily leave their warm, cozy beds to sleep on the hard ground in the cold, getting their backs stabbed by rocks? They leave their kitchen and toilets and TVs? It's so boring and dirty outside! Why on earth would you ever want to do that?" He asked, totally dumbfounded and stumped.

     Daniel shrugged. "I think it's fun. I like nature, especially fires, the stars, and fire-roasted food."

     Seongwoo shook his head like he just couldn't get it. "Why can't you swim here?" He then asked curiously several silent steps later.

     The water was beautifully blue and seemed cool but he was surprised not to see a single person even dipping their feet in. I know humans like to swim, so why aren't they?

     "See all those buildings and cars? They spill waste into this river. It's not clean enough. The place where I come from is much better. People swim there all the time, and there's tons of tourists from this area."

     Daniel seemed excited to be talking to him today. His accent was coming out more than ever, especially when talking about his hometown. It was like music to Seongwoo's ears, his thick, gentle, deep, accented voice was very pleasant to listen to. He was blessed being able to hear it so often now he was living a double life.

     "Unfortunately, I don't know how to swim..." He admitted bashfully.

     Daniel laughed brightly and then teased. "What, don't say they don't have any water where you live either..."

     "No, it's just in my family, most people have a fear of water and some even have an allergy. So, they keep away from water as much as possible. I do like it since I'm, you know, the odd one out, but I still couldn't find some way to learn. Can't teach myself..."

     "I'll teach you if you come visit my hometown," Daniel said brightly.

     Seongwoo smiled warmly and nodded several times. "I would like that. What's it like there, by the way?"

     "It's still a city but it's by the ocean. People are more friendly and laid back than here. There's a lot you can do, like eat seafood, go fishing, or boating, go to the aquarium, or the large market, go to a spa, swim and play in the water, go surfing. You would have a blast there, I'm sure."

      Oh, wow it sounds really great! I hope he takes me on a date there next! Not that this isn't amazing as well. I am happy doing anything as long as it's with the person I like, I think....

     "What about your parents? Can I see them too?" Seongwoo was curious what his parents were like and who he got his looks and awesome personality from.

     "My mom is a sweetheart. She owns a seafood restaurant. I spend most of my time at home helping her out there. My dad is a fisherman. He's not home too much since that's just the nature of his work. He's a bit rough around the edges, a typical conservative Busan sangnamja but he can be funny, especially if you get him drunk on makgeolli."

     "Wow, they sound nice. Your whole home sounds nice. Why did you leave it?"

     Daniel shrugged and his face clouded over. He was clearly thinking of something unpleasant in his past. Seongwoo felt sorry for making his owner recall something sad. Turn that frown upside down, handsome! I don't want you to ever be sad when you're around me. Then I get sad too.

     "I like the town but it's always given me bad memories of the bullying and I feel like I can't be myself there. Seoul people are a bit more open-minded. I thought maybe I had more chance of finding someone here. Plus, there's more job opportunities. I don't want to work with seafood. Actually, I'm allergic, pretty ironic considering my families occupations and all."

     He laughed at his own joke but his smile wasn't reaching his ears like usual. Seongwoo sensed he was feeling a bit down from thinking of the bullying and he was homesick.

     "Once you find someone, you can go visit together and then you can make better memories to overlap those old ones," he assured, petting the boy's wrist.

     Daniel smiled, looking grateful for the comfort, then reached up and took Seongwoo's hand in his as if to say 'I plan for that someday person to be you'. Their warm soft fingers linked together, feeling incredibly natural and effortless now.

 

 

     "We've walked for quite awhile. How about we try something new?"

     Daniel took him to a place with a bunch of bikes hooked to a rack. He explained you could use them for an hour if you fed the machine some silver coins. How much silver could it eat before it got full?

     "Wait, just get one. I will watch you ride..." Seongwoo told him as he started putting coins in.

     Daniel frowned at him over his shoulder. "You don't like it? I thought you seemed like you really wanted to ride the other day. You were looking up about them and all."

     Seongwoo looked at the two-wheeled, metal contraption that suddenly seemed large, complex, and dangerous. He wanted to try but he was scared he would fall over and get hurt. After all, now that he saw people riding it up close around here, they had nothing holding them up and he'd seen some kid fall and shout in pain. It would probably really hurt to ride this. Not to mention, I will embarass myself in front of the boy I like. I think I'd rather live in the woods again.

     "Hey, don't tell me you don't know how to ride a bike either? They've got to have these if they have cars!" Daniel commented.

     After he said it like that, Seongwoo was too ashamed to admit he had never learned how to ride one.

     "Even I know how to ride a bike! It's been awhile so I might be rusty, that's all. Let's take turns," He insisted hottily, his pride preventing him from spilling the truth though he knew what was going to come next would not be pretty.

     Daniel rented one bike as ordered. He hopped on it and started moving his feet on the part Seongwoo had researched, called the pedals. You spun them by pushing your feet forward and they moved the chain and wheels of the bike. Daniel stood up instead of sitting down, leaning forward with his arms straight over the handles which were used to steer the bike.

     Seongwoo sat on the grass and watched as Daniel went up the road, peddling quickly. Then, he pulled the bike in the air and spun it a full turn. Seongwoo went 'woo~' in delight and clapped his hands.  Wow, he looks really cool! Daniel smirked as if he had heard him. Then, he showed off more of what he could do by jumping, spinning the bike on the front wheel and just the back wheel. He pedaled over fast and stopped with a smug grin and look that suggested he wanted to hear praise.

     "Oh, that was cool!" Then Seongwoo, on second thought, coughed and made his face turn serious. He rolled his eyes, scoffed, and waved his hand. "Anyone can do that. It's kid tricks."

     Daniel raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching with amusement. "Show me what you've got then, Ong. Top me," he challenged, hopping off the bike in a flashy way like he could almost fly.

     Why can't he just step off and stand up like a normal person, really? Daniel was always doing unnecessary stuff like that at home to look cool. No one was even watching. Jisung ignored him and Seongwoo always worried about his clumsy owner tripping and hurting himself. He often hurt himself in other ways like when he put a bruise on his nose from a can while drinking and dropped a hot pan on his foot while trying to flip a fried egg. It would be funny, if Seongwoo didn't care for his well-being so much.

     "Okay, I'll show you how it's done," he pretended to be confident.

     Seongwoo grabbed the handles, tossed his leg over, sat down, and then froze. This much he could mimic, but the rest of it he couldn't. Daniel crossed his arms and smirked at him.

     "Go on then," he pushed.

     Literally. Daniel pushed the back of the bike and it started to move. Seongwoo put his feet on the pedals and pushed them. It went a few feet and then started to topple left. He pulled the handles right, trying to center it, but then the wheel turned and the bike tipped slowly left again. He put his foot down to stop it from falling over, luckily just in time before he crashed to the ground, and stood up. He gulped, breathing hard, and his heart was racing.

     That's terrifying! Not fun at all! I almost died! He really didn't like feeling out of control and about to fall any second.

     Daniel was splitting his gut style laughing, slapping his hands on his thighs. Then, he jogged over, still chucking. He affectionately ruffled Seongwoo's hair and pinched his cheek as the other pouted. 

     "I knew you were lying! Why were you so stubborn? Just tell me honestly if you don't know something next time. There's no reason to be embarassed and hurt yourself trying to prove a point. I will teach you. Get into position like you were, and hold tight to the handles, keep them totally straight."

     Daniel held Seongwoo's waist and instructed him what to do. He held Seongwoo firmly so he didn't topple over as they slowly meandered down the road a few minutes. Then, Daniel let him go even though he yelled at him not to a hundred times before when he had been joking around. Omo, I can ride it on my own now! Albeit, he could only ride straight. He stopped, flipped the bike, and then rode back.

     Daniel was clapping and beaming at him proudly. "Wow, Seongwoo, you're amazing. You got it only five minutes! Great job, I'm proud of you!" he praised the shifter and ruffled his hair when he reached him, stopped the bike and safely dismounted.

     Seongwoo smiled back, feeling very proud of himself and happy to receive such warm words and touches. At least he was a fast learner so he didn't have to feel even more embarrassed on top of how he already was feeling for apparently not knowing something so basic. His family had four legs, they could run very fast or they could drive a car. They never needed bikes. He'd never even seen one until he went to the college. It must just be a city folk thing, he figured. Anyway, it's pretty fun. Not as scary and dangerous as I thought. 

     His eyes went longingly to some teenager on a skateboard. Now he had ridden a bike like he'd been curious about. He kind of wished he could tackle that one next. Get two things off his to do in the human world list while he was out.

     Daniel followed his gaze and smiled widely. "Seongwoo, keep riding around here. I will be back in five minutes."

     Then, Daniel took off at a full speed, athlete level run. Seongwoo doubted he could run that fast even in his cat form. He watched until the boy, his hair flipping back off his head, his speedy running form impressive, was out of sight. Then, Seongwoo felt just a bit lonely and worried. What do I do if Daniel doesn't come back? He had no idea where he was or how to get home and he didn't even have money or an address to the college to use one of those cars called a taxi.

 

 

     Daniel came back much later, running full speed again. He was all panty and sweaty with a blue skateboard tucked under his arm.

     "Got one!" He smiled brightly and proudly presented the board with wheels.

     Seongwoo set down the bike and reached for it excitedly. "Wow, how did you know?"

     "You're just that obvious~!" He teased back.

     Seongwoo noticed he was dripping a lot of sweat from his damp blonde strands. He wiped his forehead with his sweater and then fanned his face with his hands. I think he's more attractive like this. My stomach's full of those fluttering, tingly butterflies again...

     "You look hot now. You shouldn't have ran so hard."

     "I shouldn't have let my roommate talk me into wearing a winter sweater, that's what," he grumbled, pulling at the white sweater's neck and glaring at it.

     "It looks good on you though. Your roommate has great fashion sense."

     Daniel hid his pleased smile behind his hand. "He will be happy to hear that. I thought you said he was your friend, but he didn't know you, he told me..?" He asked curiously.

     Seongwoo panicked, his heart racing for a new, not so good reason. Uh-oh, that's one of the things I was afraid of him bringing up. How to get out of it, think, think, think...

      "Did I say we were friends? I just meant I know of him. Since we're in the same department. He's pretty famous."

     "You said that he talked about me though?"

     "Ah, I just overheard him talking to someone else."

     "Ah, I thought so. You got me all confused there. I thought you were some lying stalker, no just kidding. I wouldn't think that of you." Daniel laughed.

     I certainly hope not but you might think that way if you found out anything else, like that Jisung isn't the one cleaning or that I was really in your bed that night, not as a figure in your dream. He was thankful Daniel hadn't put those things together yet. Even being out here was a risk. He wasn't sure what Jisung was up to right now. He might have found out the cat was missing and he might even be there when he got back, which was going to be a real huge issue that could blow his cover if Jisung was able to draw between the lines or catch him in the middle of transforming. Seongwoo quickly tried to distract Daniel as he usually did when Daniel caught a wiff of something fishy related to him.

     "I really want to ride this. I don't know how. Can you teach me?"

     Daniel jumped forward and kissed his cheek. "That's a reward for being honest. Your moles will slowly start to fade soon."

     Yay, another kiss! What a pleasant surprise! Daniel sure is being sweet today. I guess her really enjoys teaching. Seongwoo grinned cheesily, his cheek warm and tingly, as he took the skateboard. He put it down and stood on it sideways, his feet spread evenly a part.

     "This is trickier than the bike. Not going to lie, it's a bit dangerous too. Much easier to fall and more painful if it happens since we aren't wearing safety gear. So what you need to do is..."

     Seongwoo paid close attention to Daniel's explanation after his warning. He really really didn't like getting hurt but it looked so cool when others did it. He was wavering about his decision. Then, Daniel took his hand and brought him close to the board, holding it steady with one sneakered foot. 

     "Hop on."

     Seongwoo put one foot on it and then hesitated. "Will you catch me if I fall?"

     "You won't fall~" Daniel promised, smiling warmly.

     "I could though! I don't like pain. I don't want to fall...." he chewed on his lip, testing his weight on the small board.

     "Okay, okay, you girl. I promise I will catch you if you tip over. Though we're going to be moving at a snail's pace and you could just step down if you get scared...." Daniel teased with a deep cuckle, squeezing both his hands.

     Seongwoo very carefully stepped onto the board after a few more moments of consideration. It rolled and wiggled a bit, making him whimper in fear. Daniel kept a tight hold on him, calming him down first, and then instructing how to hold his weight and body in the proper position. Then, Daniel drug him a few feet very slowly. He offered to let the boy try on his own, but Seongwoo was too scared. I like bikes but I don't like these boards. These feel dangerous. He went to step off but as he did, the board suddenly rolled quickly backwards, tipping up from incorrectly placed pressure. Seongwoo fell forward and Daniel caught him as promised, wrapping his arms around his waist and steadily holding Seongwoo up. Seongwoo had closed his eyes, bracing for a painful impact on the cement leading to blood, scrapes, and bruises.

     Seongwoo wondered why Daniel wasn't letting him go right away, but he wasn't going to complain because he didn't want their semi-hug to cease. Daniel held him in a way that was protective and caring. His broad shoulders felt muscular and firm under Seongwoo's touch. Their heads were just inches away, both of them subtly getting a wiff of the other's intoxicating scent. Daniel sqeezed him a bit closer, his fingers widening across his back. Seongwoo's heart started racing faster and his smile widened.

     This is my second hug today. This one was an accident, but it still feels really nice. They are the most wonderful things. I hope that Daniel will give me lots of hugs in the future!

     "Can you show me? Do you know how?" Seongwoo asked, stepping away to catch the skateboard rolling down the sidewalk behind them. Daniel took it from him gently and put it back on the ground to hide the fact that his hands were shaking from their sudden intimate contact ten seconds before. 

     "Do I know how? Skateboarding was my form of transportation in my hometown. I got everywhere on it since I was in elementary school. Watch and be impressed. Oh, but you're not allowed to copy what I do. It's advanced and I could hate to see this pretty face with scars."

     Seongwoo blushed as Daniel caressed his cheek with the back of his bent fingers. He loved how warm and gentle Daniel's fingers felt on his cool, human skin. 

     Then Daniel kicked off with his foot. He moved the board with expertise skill swerving in S curves down the road. Then, on his way back, he kicked up the board, flipped it with his feet and landed on it.

     "Hey, be careful!" Seongwoo called with concern, finding that extremely dangerous.

     "That's not all!" Daniel laughed brightly, like a mischievious kid.

     He went fast again, then he kicked the back of the board, flew up in the air a full yard, and then did a full turn in the air, then he flipped the board quickly on his way down to earth. Seongwoo gasped, his hand going over his mouth and nearly closing his eyes. He was worried that Daniel was going to fly off the board into the cement, right on his handsome face. Daniel did some more S curves, turned back around, and did some more tricks.

     Seongwoo put his hands over his eyes, going "I can't watch him hurt himself. I can't watch it, ugh..."

     Don't die, don't die, don't leave me, I don't want to be alone again, I can't watch you kill yourself...

 

 

     Then came the sound of the skateboard stopping right in front of him. A tap on his shoulder. Seongwoo cracked open one eye.

     "Oh thank god.." Seongwoo breathed out with immense relief.

     Daniel was safely standing in front of him with a cheeky, shining smile. He chuckled, his eyes scrunching up so they almost disappeared. He reached out and patted Seongwoo's shoulders.

     "There's nothing to worry about. I've done that kind of thing a million times. I never get hurt anymore."

     "Anymore? Exactly how hurt have you got doing that foolishness? Do you have a death wish?" Seongwoo yelled and smacked his chest, finding himself so angry he was getting teary.

     Daniel's smile faded to a frown of surprised concern. "Woah, hey there. Let's sit down a second."

     Daniel grabbed his hand gently and led him to a place away from people in the back under a tree. He opened up his backpack and took out some kind of cloth. He spread it out on the grass. Ah, it's a blanket. Then, he took out various other things. Tissues, snacks, drinks...

     "Take your shoes off and sit down."

     Seongwoo slipped off the shoes that were a bit too big for him since they were Daniel's, careful to turn them in a way he wouldn't be able to see them so clearly. Then, he sat down and crossed his legs. Daniel scooted closer so their sides were pressed right up against each other. Ah, yeah, skinship! Part of him melted but the other half remained indifferent, still angry.  No, bad skinship, it makes it hard to be mad. Daniel put his arm around his back, hooking his fingers around his thin waist.

     Daniel ducked his head, looking at his face but Seongwoo maintained a frown, looking off into the water. "Hey, sorry. I sometimes like doing dangerous things. I promise I never got seriously injured from bikes or skateboards."

     "Well, you can't just go flying around, showing off like that until you do get hurt. It's stupid! Think a bit about the people that care for you. Imagine how they would feel if you died!"

     Daniel chuckled, then stopped when Seongwoo glared at him. "Sorry, it's just I learned something new about you today I never would have guessed. You're melodramatic."

     Seongwoo's eyes narrowed. "What's that word mean? I don't like the sound of it."

     "Not telling you, you will have to look it up later~" he replied playfully as he laid down with his arms crossed behind his head.

     Seongwoo laid down next to him and smacked his stomach lightly. "Tell me the spelling."

     "Nope!" 

     "Ugh. You are such a such a..." He didn't know any good words to lightly insult some one, so he made one up. "A dum dum!"

     "A dum dum? Isn't that the name of a lollipop brand?" Daniel burst out laughing, shaking the ground so it vibrated through his body pleasantly.

     Seongwoo found himself laughing as well. His anger dispersed. After all, Daniel hadn't gotten hurt in the end, so what was there to be angry about, really? It was nice knowing they were past the awkwardness after talking a bit and getting comfortable enough to argue playfully, tease, and joke around. That was something he was really looking for in a partner, something he could never have with a shifter. Another reason Daniel is a perfect mate for me.

      Daniel grabbed his backpack with his toes and slid it over. Seongwoo snorted.

     "So lazy..." He chided gently.

     "My feet need exercise too. My hands are tired from holding you all afternoon."

     Seongwoo blushed at the teasing and playfully kicked him. He played around with Daniel the same way he would as a cat but this felt a whole lot different. Maybe because his body was bigger and more sensitive.

 

 

     Daniel pulled out his tablet and headphones. They listened to music together and found shapes in the clouds. Everything Daniel found was cat or food related, hilarious enough.

     "What's the sky like where you live?" Daniel asked.

     "Like here, but pretty much everyday. I used to love looking up at the sky. Not my family though. They all say it's a waste of time and imagination is useless."

     "Wow, seriously? Your family sounds like the total opposite of you and super lame. It must have been hard for you..."

     "Hardest was their rules and the beating I got when I didn't obey them...." Seongwoo murmured to himself.

     "Jesus, they beat you? You poor thing. Why would anyone dream of hitting someone so sweet and cute like you?"

     Seongwoo found himself cradled into Daniel's chest, Daniel stroking his hair. Seongwoo could hear the boy's steady heartbeat. It increased when he realized their proximity. Daniel had done it on impulse then.

     "Sorry, I just got carried away when you said that because it's so sad..." he let go and Seongwoo sank back to the blankets rather reluctantly. Being in Daniel's arms as a human is extremely pleasant. I will deffinitely have to experience that again.

     A song came on he knew and started singing it, looking up at the sky, feeling totally relaxed and happy his own heart racing just a bit from their sudden embrace.

     Daniel said after he was done, "You have a really pretty voice. You could have been a singer if you wanted to."

     "Thanks. That was my hobby in my dreary hometown. Singing saved me. It gave me reason to keep on living despite how unhappy I was."

     "I'm glad. Music saved me too. Mainly dancing. After I got bullied, I used dance to relieve my stress and express myself. Since I couldn't voice how I was feeling through my words, I voiced it through my body. Dancing made me feel better, sometimes it was my only source of happiness. "

     "I would really like to see you dance once. You saw me sing, so it's only fair."

     "Okay then! I'll show you now."

     Daniel played a song called Don't Let Me Down and stood up, put his shoes on, and danced for the full song enthusiastically. Seongeoo sat up on his palms to watch. He couldn't help smiling proudly. Wow, I don't know much about dance, but I'm sure he's good at it, he really has somethings special. 

     Afterwards, he clapped and Daniel laughed, shyly covering his mouth. He dived onto the blanket, hiding his reddened face.

     "Ah, how embarassing. Can't believe I did that in public!"

     "Why? You gave everyone a nice show. Look, you have fans!" Seongwoo joked, pointing across the sidewalk.

     There were people who had stopped to watch him dance. They clapped and shouted compliments his way, then started walking down the path again, minding their own business.

     "Ah, how embarassing!" Daniel hid again, then peeked one eye out. "As long as you enjoyed the show."

     "Yes, it was wonderful. I think you're a really great dancer. And it seems you like it more than computers. Why don't you switch your major?" Seongwoo suggested with a beaming grin.

     "I would but this is reality. I don't want to disappoint my parents more than the fact I'm never going to get married. I should at least get a stable job so my parents don't worry about me."

     "But... Isn't it kind of sad to give up on your dreams and doing something you don't like?"

     "Beggars cant be choosers," he shrugged. "Dancing can stay my hobby. I'll still be happy that way."

     "Hmm, if you say so..."

     But Seongwoo could see a sadness and longing in his eyes. Daniel still wanted to be a dancer deep down. I wonder if there's a way I can get him to change his mind someday. I want nothing but for him to be happy. 

 

 

     "Enough with the depressing, serious talk. Let's order chicken and beer!" Daniel excitedly said, whipping out a paper with pictures of food on it from his bag.

     He used his phone to call, order, and explain where they were.

     "But how does the food get here?"

     "Somebody brings it to us. It's called delivery."

     "But how do they find us? We're in the middle of a park. All the bridges and buildings look the same."

     "No worries. He will be able to find us. I told him I'm with the guy that looks like the world's top model."

     Seongwoo snorted a laugh and shook his head, flushing at the flattery. Daniel is Really laying on compliments thick today. I wish he was like this always and we could have a date every day.

     "There's tons of people like that I'm sure. He'd get confused."

     "No, I've looked all over this city the last year and I've never seen someone as handsome as you."

     "Are you always so free with compliments?" He smirked playfully.

     "No, just with you. Because I want you to know what's in my mind..."  'and in my heart' it seemed like he was silently saying.

     Seongwoo almost squealed out with happiness, his heart racing and his stomach full of fluttering butterflies. Instead, he giggled and grabbed a snack bag. Daniel likes me, he really does, doesn't he? This is a blessing! He tried to open the bag but he wasn't sure how. He was supposedly supposed to pinch the sides of the plastic and pull but when he did, it didn't budge.

     "Oh my god, you are the cutest thing, I swear. Are you actually human?" Daniel cooed affectionately, looking down at his struggling hands.

     Seongwoo froze and looked at him with wide eyes. The other boy didn't notice. He took the bag and opened it easily with a surge of strength. Does he know? Was I too obvious? No way. It's too soon. I'm not ready to part with Daniel. I like sending time with him too much. We haven't mated even once yet!

     "Here you go. What's wrong? I was joking, sorry. I didn't mean to tease you this time. I guess you don't eat packaged food or junk food on the farm," he said apologetically, taking his palm and pouring some snacks into it.

     They munched on the snacks and watched as people strode by or rode by on bikes, scooters, or skateboards.

 

 

      "So what questions do you have for me to teach today?" Daniel asked when they eventually ran out of snacks and things to talk about.

      He was taking a swig of melon soda when Seongwoo asked out of the blue. "What is sex?"

     Daniel spat out the green liquid in a spray all over the grass. Then he started coughing violently. Seongwoo pat his back, seriously worried for his health. This was happening all week, ever since he met his human form.

     If it isn't his abs making him sick, then what is? Why does he cough so often around my human self and what was that smelly, white fluid that came out the other night when he had a terrible itch?

     "Daniel, you okay?" He asked when the coughing receded a minute later.

     "Yes. What did you ask me?" Daniel asked weakly like he couldn't believe what he had heard, though it had been quite clear.

     "What is sex?" Seongwoo repeated bluntly.

     Daniel buried his face in his hands and groaned. "Seongwoo... That's another bad word. A very, very bad word. You shouldn't ever say it!"

     "Ah, is it? It sounded like a good word when I heard my friends talking about it. Something fun but a bit dangerous?"

     "I can't tell you about it. Not yet. I need to prepare my heart ..."

     Seongwoo tilted his head, then laid on the other's knees. He tried the expression that Daniel couldn't resist with his cat form that got him so much food and brushings he should not have had. Daniel looked at him as if to say 'please don't give me the look, I can't resist that...' Seongwoo turned the look on more fiercely, pouting and putting tears in his eyes.

     When even that didn't work, he tried a different tactic. "How about we play a game? If I win, you tell me what these bad words mean. If you win, I won't ask ever again."

     Daniel smiled and patted his head. "Deal!"

     They played rock scissor paper that Daniel taught him on the subway earlier today when he'd seen kids playing. Seongwoo won two out of three. He cheered and danced with his arms up in the air. The loser was fake crying with his head in his hands.

     "I simply can't do it Seongwoo..." Daniel said apologetically.

     Seongwoo pouted and pushed him. "You promised! I won! That's not fair!" He threw a childish fit.

     "Alright alright, I did lose fair and square," Daniel sighed. "I will only tell you once, so listen up. Only the basic definition. Sex is what we call mating. Two people do it when they love each other a lot."

     "What's love?" Seongwoo interrupted.

     "What is love? I'm sure you have it in your country, you just don't know the word. It shows up in a lot of songs, people saying 'I love you.' You've heard that, right?

     "I think so," the shifter nodded eagerly. "I've heard someone say it once or twice. If he says I love you, what does it mean?"

     "Well, it depends on who he's saying it to. Friends and family can say it as well as a mate, which we call lover or boyfriend. It means you like someone a lot. They make your heart beat faster, smile for no reason, make you happy and laugh a lot, they make you turn red and feel like you're on fire and you want to share lots of affection and kisses, not the treatment kind but real ones on the mouth that mean something..."

     Ah, so if I love someone and he loves me back, then I'm allowed to kiss on the mouth and some day we mate, have sex, to prove we love each other very strongly. Ah, very good to know, that answers a few of my questions.

     He reached out and touched Daniel's lips curiously, imagining what it would feel like to have those lips on his, this time Daniel being conscious of it and kissing him back, whispering the highest form of verbal affection. "I love you." I wonder what it's like when Daniel says that, imagine him saying it as a whisper just inches away from my lips. Seongwoo jerked his hand away, blushing furiously and his heart racing.

     "Sorry, don't know what came over me. You will have to forgive me, people are very curious and touchy with little boundaries where I came from. Hope I'm not being rude."

     Daniel, also blushing deeply, smiled and took his hand, linking their fingers together over his leg.

     "Don't apologize. I don't think you were being rude. I touch you just as randomly and nearly as much. It just means you're feeling close and comfortable with me. Touch me as much as you want, if you're curious."

     Daniel took Seongwoo's hand and put it on his stomach, his chest, his neck, his cheek, his nose, his lips and then back to his lap, going, "Here, here, or here, even here, it's all open for exploration."

     Seongwoo giggled, feeling incredibly happy about getting permission to do his favorite activity, touching Daniel. And now he finally knew how to get the boy to kiss him. He had to get Daniel to love him. He had said it to the cat version but he needed to say it to the human version. Seongwoo was pretty sure that he himself was already feeling that way or really close to it based on what was just described. Daniel made him happy, made him laugh, and often made him red, and sometimes his heart raced even. Really really liked and loved, his feelings were somewhere between there and growing stronger every day they spent together.

     "Wait, you didn't explain the f u c k word. What's wrong with that? I heard people use it a lot."

     "Fuck is a word like really. But it's a rude, immature thing to say. Only younger people use it and never in the presence of older people or strangers. As a foreigner, you should really use polite words. Plus, you don't look like the kind of person that would use it."

     "Is there a time when it's okay to use It though? When people actually like it?"

     He was thinking about how they said it in Daniel's videos a lot and how it must be somehow okay to do it during that wrestling game they played. Which meant Daniel wanted to use it or thought it was okay at that time too, right?

     "Um, just during sex, I guess. Some peole like to use it to express how good they are feeling. It makes the other person... really happy, you see...They have a better time that way."

     Seongwoo's eyes lit up as all the puzzle pieces clicked into place. Those videos are of the human mating ritual. So that is what sex is then! Fuck is a word that is okay during the human mating ritual called sex but not okay to say during other situations unless you are with your friends. I finally get it! Now things made a lot more sense including Daniel's reactions to feeling uncomfortable about talking about it or people knowing about his videos. They were dirty videos he shouldn't have of other's private mating moments.

 

 

     "I've got to bring the bike and board back before I get fined more money. Stay right here."

     After Daniel left, Seongwoo rolled up the bag of snacks and laid on the blanket. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the warm sunshine, cool breeze, and the sounds of water, chattering, and laughing.

     He must have fallen asleep because before he knew it, Daniel was shaking his shoulder and softly calling his name.

     "Seongwoo, wake up. Food's here. Let's eat soon or it will get cold. You don't want to miss the sunset either."

     He jumped up excitedly at the sound of sunset. Sunsets were one of his favorite things. He loved the warm yellow, orange, pink and purple hues the sky got at that time and the way the clouds seemed to be part of a painting. He sat up and saw it was already starting. Daniel was sitting crosslegged next to him with a paper box and metal cans.

     "This, my gorgeous friend, is chicken and beer. Jajjan~" he said cutely like he was one of those people on commercials on TV.

     "This isn't difficult to eat. You just grab it with your hands and bite."

     Seongwoo followed him and hummed. It was salty, juicy, and delicious meat. He liked chicken next to tuna, he decided immediately.

     "You like it?" Daniel asked hopefully.

     "Chicken is delicious!" He nodded, but then looked at his fingers which were covered with brown crumbs and grease.

     "Ew..."

     Daniel handed him the tissues and laughed. "Good thing i thought of these. Since when were you so obsessed with being clean? You never get even a little bit dirty? Not even as a kid?" He asked with a teasing tilt to his smile.

     "Nope, not at all if I could help it. I always hated the dirt."

     "What about when you're mating?"

     "Huh? Is mating dirty in your culture? I don't know about mine since I never tried it..." Seongwoo replied, tilting his head, then suddenly blushing at the thought of what it would be like to be intimate with Daniel in the strange human mating ritual. What is messy about sex? I wish Daniel would teach me. I wouldn't even mind the mess, as long as I'm making a mess with him. 

 

 

     They ate and watched the sunset, drinking beers which Seongwoo still didn't really love but was getting used to for his owner's sake who seemed to love him. After it got dark, the Banpo bridge started sprouting water and rainbow lights. He was feeling enchanted by it.

     "It's pretty. What's wrong? The bridge is leaking water! Shouldn't we do something?"

     "No, it's supposed to do that. It's called a fountain. Banpo Bridge has a fountain and light show accompanied by music every night. That's why I brought you here. It's one of the number one things to see in Seoul."

     "Ah, I see. Thanks. It's really pretty and colorful!"

     They both sat, watching the show in silence. Seongwoo had his knees brought up to his chest with his arms wrapped around them. Daniel was sitting with his legs stretched out and his arms stretched behind him. He was leaning towards Seongwoo, their shoulders slightly touching. Seongwoo noticed Daniel was looking at him but he didn't turn. He felt suddenly nervous and shy. Ah, this mood is so romantic. And the way he looks at me in this form is so sweet and gentle. It makes me wish for kisses and hugs....

     Daniel leaned in and gently pecked his cheek as if he had read his mind, his lips lingering like a caress on his skin several seconds this time. "I promised I would kiss your moles away. Time for treatment. If you still want it, that is."

     Seongwoo nodded, slightly smiling. I want nothing more! I love treatments! I hope these moles never ever go away. He kept looking at the rainbow bridge with its dancing water streams because he felt too shy to face the man and have him see how delighted he was from something small and normal. He put his finger on his neck where he had a mole though he couldn't remember where exactly. Daniel leaned in slowly and pressed his lips on his lower neck. Seongwoo shivered at the pleasant feeling, but the way he felt was a bit strange from other times that Daniel had kissed him. It had a nice feeling but it was also sweet and exciting and made him crave for more.

      It was probably because of their mating talk earlier. He had started thinking of Daniel's sweet, caring touches in a different way, a one more similar to the caresses that made humans moan happily in those videos. It was somehow different now he knew that people were encouraging them to mate and that there was likely a part of Daniel that was curious just as he was.

     "I recall seeing one here too." His finger was pointing to Seongwoo's chest.

     Seongwoo used his finger to pull his shirt collar down and raised his head up. "Yeah, that one is particularly troublesome."

     He couldn't believe the suggestive, flirty tone in his voice. He sounded like female cats got during courting season when they were in extreme heat, but he honestly wanted those lips on his body badly right now, he just had to know what it would be like. He wanted a hint of what mating with Daniel would be like. He wanted to know what feeling was so good from body kisses that made humans make those delighted sounds.

      Daniel smirked as he leaned in closer. Seongwoo felt his heart start racing and he held his breath. But why? He liked kisses and these weren't different from kisses they'd shared on the face? Daniel wasn't using his teeth or tongue, he was just simply pecking. Why was his reaction different?

     He purred(sounding like a soft moan)as Daniel's lips pressed hot against his collar bone area. His body heated like it was full of lava all of a sudden and his breath ceased. And his stomach felt like it was tied in knots and tingled, almost like he had to pee or something. What is this feeling called? What was that sound that escaped me?

     "You have such pretty moles, Seongwoo..." Daniel pulled back after one kiss, brushing the spot with his thumb in a gentle caress. No, don't go yet. Please do it again. I want to feel more of that. I want to know more, understand more, give me more of that nice, exciting feeling...

     Daniel didn't seem to catch his reluctant, desperate whimper for more contact. He was lost in his own thoughts, frowning. "It would be a shame to remove them, maybe we shouldn't do it too much..."

     On the one hand, Seongwoo was happy. On the other hand, he was upset at the thought of no more kisses given with an excuse of treatment.  He'd have to find some other way to get kisses from Daniel as a human.

     Daniel sat back and let out a long sigh. Seongwoo wanted to talk more because he seemed troubled, but he was afraid he had done something wrong.

     A few minutes later, the show was over and they started packing up. This time, Seongwo was able to ride the train without much fear, but he still pretended so that he could cling to and touch Daniel more.

 

 

     Seongwoo led Daniel to the opposite dorm he had discovered this morning that he told the boy he was staying at. He casually said goodbye to him and then after Daniel left, seeming reluctant to let go of his hand and as if he was biting back something he wanted to say, Seongwoo hid in a bush and changed into his cat form. Then, he ran through the buildings and bushes to the dorm, trying to keep out of sight.

     Seongwoo luckily got to the room much earlier than Daniel but he ran into an issue since the door was shut and he could hear Jisung talking to someone inside. He sat there and stared at the door for awhile, pondering what to do. If he could quickly change into his cat form after knocking on the door, it would be perfect but he couldn't do it instantly which is the timing he'd need. 

     Jisung opened the door after he scratched and meowed at it. "Eh, Seongwoo? You have been outside this whole time? I was worried sick. Come in before someone sees you!"

     The cat trotted in when he pulled open the door some more. Luckily, no one had been around in the hallway to see exactly where the cat went.

     "Where have you been and how did you get out anyway? I swore Daniel was sleeping in his bed all night. Did someone open the door while we're sleeping? Oh crap, does Daniel have a stalker? He's handsome and sexy, so I wouldn't be that surprised but that's so creepy. To think of some wierdo watching him sleep and putting kisses on him and touching his bare body..." Jisung shivered dramatically.

     The Bengal cat felt shamed as if he had been caught red-handed. He had just been doing that the other day, minus the breaking in part. Daniel had joked about that earlier too, with how he had known his name. At this rate, they were going to think he was a stalker. In that case, Daniel wouldn't want to hang out. He would be out of affectionate touches, treatment kisses, the possibility of mating for the first time, and out of a guide and teacher. That just couldn't happen. He'd feel so miserable. He really needed to be careful of his trail in the future.

     "This is our little secret, okay? You came back, so it's not necessary to tell Daniel. It will only make him upset and scold both of us."

     Seongwoo nodded at Jisung then jumped up in his lap for pets. "You got into some chicken, huh? You must have meant some handsome, rich guys nice enough to feed you. Wish you could have brought some back.." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Welcome to the longest chapter ever haha. 
> 
> About this fluffy, romantic, comical, uber sweet chapter. I spent a lot of time on this, writing out carefully and in detail things that people would usually do on a date in Seoul. This dating course is probably number one in Korea and something I did with my husband when we were first dating(minus skateboarding because I've tried, hurt my bum by trying a trick, got terrified, never did it again, which is why I love the idea of Daniel on one because I think riding skateboards is cool and he does ride well and often if you've seen his pre debut stuff.) I wanted them to still talk a lot like the other part of their date but it's a little more light-hearted with a lot more flirting and skinship. You got to see how in love Seongwoo is with Daniel and how much he cares about him. You also got to see how cool and talented Daniel is and how he makes an awesome boyfriend (even though lots of the credit has to be given to his date planner personal dresser Jisung). You saw a hint of some other darker things that trouble them(some of which will come up again later and are pretty important). You got to see Seongwoo finally learn what sex is and the nature of those videos and why those bad words are bad exactly. But now the gates of curiosity have opened further because Daniel actually told him. Daniel turns into a soft, spineless marshmallow when Seongwoo gives him 'the look' in any form hehe. I enjoy writing their interactions since they're so smitten with each other and it's even more fun because these days they are breaking out of their shy shelves. Ongniel in real life honestly their personalities are pretty complicated. They are like an onion, lots of layers for you to dig deeper into. Through this story as it progresses, you can see bits and pieces of their true characters emerging(I hope it's obvious anyway). Because they have a lot of different sides which changes their dynamic that I want to express. This chapter, for example, they are a bit more flirty, playful, naughty, and mischievous compared to last chapter where they were more shy, caring, serious, and sweet(minus the dirty thoughts Dan has and never voices). I hope that you enjoyed both chapters and both types of interactions between this complex couple. That's why I love them in real life(Not a fan of simple guys so much, I like guys with lots of layers to dig through and who leave you with surprises that make you think you never can know them fully). 
> 
> Things you learned about Ongniel today: Seongwoo cannot swim, he likes chicken, he doesn't like beer, he was beaten by his dad for not following shifter society rules, he likes holding hands hugging and doing treatment with Daniel, he started to fantasize about mating with Daniel, he started trying to care for Daniel like the other does for him like he had promised at their last date, he thinks he loves Daniel and he wants to hear the other say it and get a first real meaningful human mouth-to-mouth kiss, Daniel can ride bikes and skateboard, he's an awesome dancer, he gave up on his dancing dream for his parents, he never plans to get married, Daniel's parents work with seafood but he has an allergy ironically, he's a lot more comfortable and forward kissing and touching his crush, he planned to kiss Ong for real but chickened out(darnit Daniel, all those chances and signs he's giving you, can't you just get the hint and be brave for once!) 
> 
> Sorry for making you guys wait so long for their first kiss to happen. I want to draw this story out for a long time and their relationship progress is going to be a slow, tortuous burn so that when it does happen you will be super excited and scream 'THANK GOD, FINALLY' haha. That's just the kind of story I enjoy reading, so that's how I write as well. The next chapter has a little bit of sweet Ong!cat X Daniel, but mostly lots of Minhwan. Daniel leaves Ong to be cat-sitted by Jaehwan and Minhyun sticks around to make sure his irresponsible boyfriend doesn't do something stupid. How will things go with Jaehwan's one-sided crush on Ong!Cat and what naughty things will Ong!cat learn from the couple who are all alone in a bedroom for the first time? It's going to be a mix of comical and hot so look forward to it!
> 
> See you in a few days with the MinHwan Ong!Cat X Daniel chapter!! Please leave a comment, even if it's a short one and give kudos/recommend! Love you all~ 


	14. Catsitting(with Minhwan couple)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Daniel goes shopping for some more fashionable clothes to impress Seongwoo, cat version Ong gets babysat by the Minhwan couple. Minhyun stays to watch over Jaehwan as he's concerned about him. Jaehwan tries his best to get Seongwoo to like him. Seongwoo enjoys teasing and making Jaehwan jealous by only liking and listening to Minhyun. Seongwoo learns some things about being a good boyfriend and proper skinship between a real couple that he takes notes to use on later.

 "Where are you guys going again?" Minhyun asked, scratching the tummy of the blissful, loving Bengal cat in his arms.

     Jaehwan was using a shoe string Daniel had put in his goodie care bag(which had everything the cat could possibly need for weeks instead of one day)to entice the cat.

     "We're going shopping since Daniel insists he has no clothes good enough for the amazing Ong Seongwoo. He thinks that Seongwoo is too fashionable and all of his clothes look second-hand in comparison. So, he's forced me to go with him to choose expensive brand name clothes that will impress his little perfect 'I'm the hottest guy on campus' boyfriend."

     "Not my boyfriend yet," Daniel cut in. "We kind of sort of kissed and held hands but nothing official. Unfortunately."

     "Oh my gosh, you did? Where did you kiss?" Jaehwan asked excitedly.

     Seongwoo chomped on the string as the boy got distracted and accidentally let the string drop lower. Minhyun seemed interested as well, taking his eyes off adorable Seongwoo for the first time in minutes.

     "Just about everywhere else but the most important part because he's a coward! Anyway, I'm more important. Listen to what I'm saying here. So I need to study but he's forcing me to go and I'm not happy about it. He wouldn't even let Sungwoon join. Because he thinks I will get distracted."

     "You will! When Sungwoon's around, you're so busy flirting these days, you barely listen to me for a minute!"

     "You're just jealous because I have a boyfriend and you're still a mote solo. You shouldn't have fallen in love with a guy who's more good looking than you, you pabo. You're too scared to confess and now you're interfering with my weekend."

     "Ugh, you guys cannot understand from just a picture! I don't think I can ever confess to him. He's intimidating, well his out of this world incredible looks are anyway..."

     "Smitten as kitten," Jaehwan teased with a wide grin. 'Who, are you talking about me?' Seongwoo seemed to meow, cocking his head and looking around the circle of human faces.

     "So, let us meet him," Minhyun suggested. "Then, maybe we will have an idea who he is and how you can approach him."

     "No way!" Daniel exclaimed, shaking his head rapidly.

     "Why not?" Jaehwan replied with a pout, sounding hurt.

     "You will embarass me for sure, that's why!"

     "No, we won't....Okay, we honestly probably would, but you should just deal with it. We're your friends. If you date him, then he's going to meet your friends anyway. At that time, we would be even more tempted to tease you since there's no risk of scaring him off," Minhyun replied logically.

    "Anyway, meeting is out of the question for now. Getting back to the issue at hand...The place we're going is too far away and the bus ends early so we have to spend the night. I was worried that Seongwoo will be lonely since he's never been away from us that long. Sorry to bother you."

     Jaehwan smiled, going back to playing with the cat who was still chomping happily on the shoe string. "No, it's alright. I called dibs on catsitting, after all. I'm happy that the opportunity came. I finished all my homework and I hadn't made any plans for this weekend. Me and Seongwoo will have a blast!"

     Daniel still looked a bit worried. He had given a paper of how to take care of Seongwoo properly and explained everything in detail twice while showing what items were in the bag. He had even quizzed Jaehwan. Seongwoo was flattered by how worried and caring his owner was. 'Aw, I feel so loved~' Jisung and Jaehwan were annoyed by it.

     "Oh my god, Daniel, let's just go already! Seongwoo will be fine. He does well on his own. He lived in the woods for days by himself for christ's sake. He can handle a day without you personally slaving for him. "

      Minhyun added, "Plus, I decided to stay the night with him. I think that Jaehwan will have some trouble and I'm worried about them both. So, I will be here to keep them safe and in line. I already memorized everything."

     Minhyun looked at his crush with a bright smile.  Jaehwan giggled and blushed with giddiness. Minhyun had never stayed the night at his place or vice versa. They had just started dating, but Minhyun had been leading the pace. So far, they'd been going super slow. They had only kissed a few times and held hands.

     This could be his chance to make out or something more, so he was excited about that on top of being excited about playing with a cat. He loved animals but after he dropped a puppy when he was a baby, his parents hadn't trusted him to have pets again for the animals' sake. Daniel quizzed him and he got everything right. Daniel still was hesitating to go.

     Jisung looked fed up. "If you're so in love with your cat, just date him and forget about pretty boy, Ong Seongwoo. I will wish you well. I will take your wedding photos and design your gown."

     Jaehwan and Minhyun chortled, picturing Daniel in a wedding dress with his muscular, bulky frame. Daniel swished his hands wildly through the invisible, foul image above their heads. "Don't imagine wierd things! I'll sit on you, I swear!"

     Then Daniel sighed as he stared longingly at his cat, reluctant to leave him in other's care and also tempted to take him into his arms for at least ten minutes to get a good does of snuggle time before they were seperated. 

     "Okay, okay, enough with teasing me. I don't know why it's hard for me. Seongwoo is like my child now. I just feel uncomfortable being away from him over night. I was going to bring him with me but the hotel doesn't allow pets. Let me see him for a second. Give us a minute."

     Jisung rolled his eyes and Minhyun snickered with amusement.

     "Get a room!" Jisung complained.

     "I understand how you feel. I bet I would have a hard time leaving this cutie too," Jaehwan said seriously, his eyes on the cat with adoration.

  

 

 

     Daniel ever so gently took the cat from Minhyun and cradled him in his arms. Seongwoo meowed and pressed his nose in a series of little affectionate kisses along his jaw. 'I will miss you, come back soon,' he meowed sadly.

     "I will miss you too, buddy. It will pass by quickly. These uncles will play with you a lot so you will hardly feel the time pass."

     'You say that but still every hour I spend apart from you even regularly feels like days. Be safe~'

     Daniel scratched Seongwoo's head and squeezed him close, then kissed his head. They looked at each other for a full minute. They were  in total silence like they were speaking telepathically. It would be romantic if it wasn't for the fact they were two different spiecies which freaked the other guys out.

     Sometimes they worried about Daniel's obsession with cats. They even thought he might be into beastiality for awhile. Thankfully, he'd finally showed some interest in a human. They shook their heads again, freaked out just a bit by it. Daniel thought they wouldn't understand because they had never had animals. Seongwoo thought they wouldn't understand the deeper connection they felt because actually he wasn't fully an animal.

     "You be good now."

     'I will try' he seemed to reply with this slight, mischievious twinkle in his eyes that suggested he intended not to be, fully. He planned on causing trouble for Jaehwan because he didn't like the shape of his face that much and he found it amusing to tease him and make him frazzled.

     Daniel laughed, catching onto it, but decided not to give the other two a warning of his cat's playful, intelligent nature. These days, Seongwoo was coming more out of his shell and showing his true personality. He was incredibly mischevious and he liked faking you with his acting skills. He was funny and a total trickster. He did still have his sweet moments though. He seemed like he would go soft on Minhyun. He didn't give Jisung an easy time these days though. Seongwoo seemed to enjoy irritating some people if they had exaggerated reactions.

     "Give them hell, little rascal," Jisung whispered in his ear as he scratched him goodbye.

     The cat seemed to smirk back, meowing brightly 'you bet!'

 

 

     After they finally left several minutes later because of Daniel's terrible seperation issues, Jaehwan took out all of the toys in the care bag to play with the Bengal cat he adored and wanted to get close to. Seongwoo sat on the floor twitching his tail with a bored face, stubbornly refusing to take an interest in anything he showed him.

     "I think he doesn't like these toys anymore..." Jaehwan sighed with disappointment thirty minutes and hundreds of failed attempts later.

     "I think he just doesn't like you. Watch," Minhyun got on the floor and tossed a ball.

     Seongwoo bounded immediately after it, grabbed it in his teeth, trotted over, and put it in Minhyun's lap. He meowed and patted the boy's leg with his paw for praise.

     "Oh, such a good, pretty boy, oh yes you are," he cooed, petting the cat from head to tail.

     Seongwoo brushed against his head and licked his hand.  'Because you're handsome I just can't help it' he said to the guy he still thought of as Emperor. The guy he thought of as Mandu was overly excited again like an immature child.

     "Oh, he likes that one. Let me try!" 

     Jaehwan excitedly tossed the same ball and leaned forward with childlike anticipation. Seongwoo watched it, then sat down and started licking his paw. 'Hmm, no way, you're not cutting it, you're not handsome enough.' Seongwoo loved the guy's exaggerated expressions and reactions when he got rejected. It was incredibly amusing. Messing with him was quite entertaining. Mandu pouted in disappointment and then rolled on the floor, hitting it with his fists.

     "Ahh, why doesn't he like me! What else do I have to do? Let me see that list again."

     Mandu tried to use various toys but he would only play with them when Emperor was touching them.  Jaehwan tried to get kisses from him, but he refused, even when Minhyun tried(kisses are reserved for one person only). They both snickered when Jaewhan screamed in frustration at the continuous rejections.

     "Ah, food! Animals bond with humans easily over food. Whatever reason he doesn't like me, he should at least tolerate pets from me!"

     Seongwoo did tolerate his pets a bit as he fed him tuna from his hand. At least until he could grab the tuna and drag it closer to Emperor.

     "Why don't you try brushing him?" Minhyun suggested kindly.

     Whenever Jaehwan put the brush on the cat's back, he would hiss and bat it away. Minhyun tried it and the cat purred and purred, staying frozen. When he rolled on his belly, looking at Minhyun with utter bliss, Jaehwan totally lost all hope.

     "Ugh, I give up! Cats hate me!"

     Minhyun chuckled and patted his stomach in comfort. "He doesn't hate you. Have you been looking at the way he acts and his expressions closely? He's totally messing with you! He's amused by you."

     "Yeah, whatever, you're just trying to make me feel better by making up lies. You know I get upset when people like you better. I'm ugly and wierd and boring."

     He crossed his arms and jutted his lip, glaring at a toy on the floor. Minhyun chuckled and scooted over to sit next to him. Seongwoo followed him and sat with his front paws on the handsome human's knees, watching the other upset boy.

     'Aw, maybe I went too far, he seems truly upset. I didn't think that he'd have an identity crisis. Jeez, what a baby, can't take a little joke though. As I expected, there's no other human as awesome as my Daniel, he really gets me.'

     Minhyun was nice enough. He was handsome and kind, his voice was soft and soothing, and he had nice hands for pets. But he wasn't as fun to play with and Seongwoo just didn't feel that special spark of something he had with Daniel right from the beginning.

 

 

     Minhyun put his arm around Jaehwan and pulled him close. "Jae, you're imagining that. No one likes me better. You're the handsome and funny one. I'm boring."

     "What are you saying? Your ajussi random dance is super funny! And you're a total brain. You're good at math and puzzles."

    "Hmm, I guess that's true. You have the singing talent, plus you play a bunch of instruments though. I think that's much cooler than being brainy. Plus, more attractive not to mention..."

     Minhyun gently kissed his forehead, then his cheek, then his jaw and to his ear, getting slower, firmer, and making the contract last longer. Jaehwan shivered at the touch of his boyfriend's sweet, pillowy lips. He found out these last few days he was extremely sensitive and that Minhyun was a fantastic kisser.

     "Really, really attractive..." Minhyun whispered in a thick, lusty tone, nibbling on his earlobe and taking it in to give it a slight suck.

     Jaehwan moaned as his blood rushed and his pulse started racing, his cheeks flushing. "You know I don't care so much about the cat now..."

     "That was the point. I'm trying to distract you and make your pain go away. There's at least one person in the world that appreciates you, Jae. I want you and I would never reject you."

     Jaehwan was distracted by a small amount of pressure on his leg. Seongwoo crawled into his lap and curled up, looking directly at them. Minhyun still had his lips at his ear and their bodies were pressed close.

     "Oh, hey, look! He finally came to me!" Jaehwan exclaimed brightly.

     Minhyun chuckled. He kissed the other's neck innocently, then pet the cat's back. The Bengal purred and seemed to be smiling up at him.

     "It seems we have an audience. I think you should stop, Min. It's making me embarrassed and weirded out. It's like he's studying us."

     "Maybe he is. He probably has some cat girlfriend or will in the future so he wants to know how to kiss."

     "Cat's can kiss?  Wait, they have lips?" Jaehwan asked in shock.

     The cat and Minhyun shared a look like 'wow, he's serious, he is really that dumb, isn't he?' Minhyun grabbed his chin and turned his head, pressing their foreheads together.

     He chuckled. "You are too adorable for your own good. I can't resist you."

     "Why, why, why? What did I do?" Jaehwan asked with a nervous giggle back, his flush giving away how affected he was by the compliment and proximity.

      He wasn't used to getting this much direct skinship and words of affection from his cool, shy, rather distant boyfriend. Minhyun usually just teased and nagged at him often. Every once in awhile, he was caring and sweet towards him, especially lately Jaehwan had caught the boy silently staring at him with a silly, loving grin. It was torture on his heart when he was like this. Right now was worse than ever.

     "You made me fall. I love you, Jae," he murmured. He was totally being sincere right now.

     Jaehwan wanted to kiss him badly, but he was aware of the cat who was leering at them curiously. 'Kiss him, kiss him, I want to see, I've got a front row seat, let's get the show started' the cat meowed.  Seongwoo wanted an up close sight of what mates in love kissed like, that way if he ever got the chance to try with Daniel, he could do a good job. He wanted to give Daniel the best mouth-to-mouth, real kiss he had ever had in his life and hoped it would convince him to be his mate someday.

     Minhyun ignored how Jaehwan was feeling anxious. He held his chin and pushed the boy's head to the side, tipping his face until he'd decided he had the perfect angle. Then, they leaned forward to put their lips together. Once, twice, three times they kissed soft and slow.

 

 

     Seongwoo noted that there was a slight smacking noise as they parted and they were careful not to bump their noses and their eyes were closed and they kept the contact for a long time as if they were savoring the feeling and reluctant to let go.

     He sat up and leaned on his paws to observe closer. Minhyun seemed to be the one with the techniques and the leader. He bit the other's lower lip and drew it into his mouth for awhile. Jaehwan seemed to like it. Seongwoo sensed his pulse increase and heard him hum excitedly.

     Then, Minhyun grabbed the hair at the back of Jaehwan's head and pulled him closer. The two inhaled sharp and exhaled with a sigh as they kissed much longer and firmer. 'Ah, I've seen this kind of kiss before. The guys on the video called it making out.'

      Their mouths opened up and their tongues twisted in the middle. They pushed each other's heads back and forth, kissing excitedly. Then, they pulled back for a second to quickly switch the position of their heads. Then, their lips crashed together fiercely and their tongues were battling again.

     Seongwoo had seen this a lot in the videos Daniel had too. Apparently, males liked it better, kissing from various angles and sides. They liked kissing, licking, and biting various other parts of the body. But there was a pattern he recognized with the mating process of humans. First, the couple when they were mated started with little close mouthed kisses. Then, they kissed longer and more enthusiastically with tongue. Then, they started switching heads, hugging, pulling hair, biting, caressing, and licking. Then, they moved on to tasting and touching other parts of their bodies. But in those videos, the clothes either came off or some people started mating without any on.

     Anyway, he learned clothes had to be off for humans to mate, or have sex as they called it. Thanks to Daniel's kind explanation, he had been able to put two and two together. 'Okay, what's next should be...' Seongwoo had fun paying a guessing game as to what would be next with this couple.

     Minhyun's mating technique was to do a lot of neck biting, hair and chest stroking, and he really seemed to like Jaehwan's ears. Jaehwan was glistening with a sheen of sweat and Minhyun's spit a few minutes later when he looked into his lap.

     "Jeez, he's still looking at us. It's creepy! I shouldn't have agreed to keep him. I can't have sex when he's right there."

     'Ah, humans must not like people watching them mate, huh?' Well, that was true for some shifters. Most, he heard, just mated all together in the same area, but some preferred privacy.

     Minhyun sighed and sat back against the bed, putting some distance between them, and wiped some sweat off his brow.

     "Well, if you hadn't suggested it, I wouldn't have finally found an excuse to get you alone in a room long enough to do that. I've been waiting, but the timing was never right."

 

 

     They held hands and turned to each other with a soft, sweet grin like they could communicate telepathically like him and Daniel did. Hmm, maybe that's something only people who were destined to be mates could do.

      "Was it hot for you?"

     "Yeah, it was pretty hot. I enjoyed it. Let's do it again after the furball is asleep. What makes a cat go to sleep? Can we stick some sleeping pills in his food?"

     Minhyun laughed and picked up Seongwoo who was looking at Jaehwan with slight apprehension now.

     "You're not going to drug Daniel's precious cat. He would turn you into string, tie you into your guitar, and then play it."

     Seongwoo nodded and hissed at him. 'My owner will make you wish you were never born! So, don't you dare mess with me!'

     "Seems like he hates you again. You shouldn't have said that," Minhyun laughed teasingly, trying to comfort the upset animal.

     "Sorry, Seongwoo, forgive me. I didn't mean that. I say wierd stuff when I'm horny."

     Horny? Seongwoo knew that word. He had heard it often in the videos. Seeing what usually happened after, he assumed it meant that people really wanted to mate.

     "Now, you kiddos hurry and make up." Seongwoo felt bad for interfering in their chance to mate for the first time, so he curled up again in Jaehwan's lap obediently.

     "Think he will let me brush him now?" Jaehwan whispered like he was worried this was all a dream.

     "Probably. He's acting really sweet. Seems like you have managed to break the ice with him. He's done messing with you. "

     Jaehwan smiled wide and giggled like a kid as he brushed the purring still cat.

     "Daniel is really lucky. He's a bit of a handful, but he sure is sweet and smart now that I have seen him some more. He has a distinctive personality. He's really loveable and human-like."

     "Yes, I agree, but he's a cat, Jae. He can't give Daniel what he really needs. Can you imagine what Dan's been through? His bullying must have been bloody terrible if he has hid his orientation this long. He has never had a lover. I really hope things work out with that Ong Seongwoo. But then he's got to deal with a language and cultural barrier, so I don't know if that will work out either. It might be difficult if they get into a relationship."

     "Daniel is a good kid and he seems totally smitten. I think he can handle a few problems, at least long enough to finally get laid "

     "You speak big, but I can tell Jae..." Minhyun said suggestively as he wrapped his arm around the younger's shoulders.

     "Tell what..." The boy flushed and avoided eye contact.

     Minhyun leaned in to blow along the rim of his ear and whispered, "You haven't done much either, right? I can tell from the way you kiss, you're not a total virgin but..."

     Jaehwan flushed and quickly interrupted him. "We're not talking about that! Maybe if you got me drunk first. As long as you know I'm not a total hopeless virgin like Dan is..."

     They both laughed loudly. Seongwoo had been listening to their whole conversation on the verge of sleep. 'Stop making fun of my owner when he's not around to defend himself. I really need to get Daniel to mate with me so he doesn't suffer this teasing anymore. Twenty plus years was long enough already.'

     "Is he sleeping? He hasn't moved for awhile..."

     "Seems so. Let's continue then..." 

 

 

     Seongwoo dreamed of his parents. They were in their cat forms at their make shift shed of a home in the woods. The last night he had lived there.

     "You're what?" His dad shouted. Then, Seongwoo flew to the floor with more stinging wounds from his father's claws.

     "I'm not going to join the courting seasons anymore. It's not interesting. I don't like shifters. I like humans...male humans..." he whimpered despite his fear to repeat his confession.

     "Not even male shifters, but male humans, of all the bogus you could say!  You know how much I hate male humans. They're horrible. They have done so many things to your species, how dare you like them when you know all the stories. I will kill you before I ever let my son mate with one!"

     His father's sharp teeth dug into his neck, his claws digging into his head, shoving him still on the floor. Seongwoo screamed in pain, crying now. How could his father do this to him? He could understand he was cold and indifferent to his family and that his son brought disappointment to him every time people whispered about how he refused to choose anyone to mate with the last couple of years. But he never imagined his father would attack him to the point he was bleeding, bruised, and worried for his own life.

     "Stop honey! Don't hurt him anymore!"

     His mother shoved his much larger father off by using all her strength and a running start. He was only allowed a few seconds as his dad rolled on the ground trying to catch his footing.

     "Seongwoo run! It's your only chance to keep living. Go far away and hide. Don't ever come back here. Live safe and happy somewhere else. I love you!"

     His mom pushed him up on to his feet. He felt like a coward for running and leaving her behind with his enraged beyond belief, much stronger, and often violent father. His mother had never been kind to him until now and this was the first time she had said she loved him. He hated to see her fighting with his father though. His mother fell down with his father's neck at her throat. She wasn't moving.

     Seongwoo stopped running and sobbed. "Mom..."

     Then his father's furious, bright lemon yellow eyes looked his way. He forced himself to run as fast as he could in case he was chased after.

     If he got caught, he was dead just like his mother likely was. His heart was ripping at the possible loss of a family member, one that said that she loved him and he was doubting everything he knew about her. Maybe she had been so strict with him to protect him from his father in her own twisted way. Now he would never now...

 

 

     "No, I'm not!" Daniel muttered in his sleep.

     In his dream, he was in front of a school locker. A bunch of boys had written terrible names on it and thrown their lunch at him. "Faggot", "Queer," "Cock sucker," "Freak," "Trash," they shouted, throwing things at him and laughing. He was bruised, scratched, covered in food, and crying. One of the older kids shoved him inside a locker and shut the door. He banged on it, begging them to let him out.

     "Stay in there until you die. No one around this school is going to help a fucking queer!" The guy shouted.

     "Come back! Help! Someone anyone help! Let me out! I can't breathe! It's so dark!" Daniel called from inside the tiny locker as he gradually suffocated and grew more and more panicked, banging wildly on the metal door. 

 

     "Help, help, I can't breath! I'm not... I'm not like that. I take it back! I take it all back, just let me out...please..." Danirl sobbed and whimpered, thrashing about in his sleep at the hotel.

 

 

     "Woah, what happened to you?" Jaehwan asked Daniel when he opened the door to his dorm room after he heard a knock.

     It was super early in the morning. He let Daniel and Jisung in. Jisung looked like he was two seconds from murdering someone, probably because Daniel had forced them to take the earliest bus at dawn. Daniel looked like he hadn't slept all night.

     "This idiot had some nightmare. He woke me up, shouting and crying in his sleep. Then, he insisted we just had to get home early to pick up the cat. He says he had nightmares because they slept apart and he's worried the cat was having similar troubles."

     "Oh that's a funny joke...wait, you're serious?"

     Jisung and Daniel both nodded. Jaehwan then shook Minhyun, who was still asleep in his bed. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, his hair sticking up in all directions.

     "Um...hi everyone?" He asked in a dreamy daze, his voice thick and raspy.

     "They came to get the cat. Get this! Daniel can't even sleep without him he's so attached."

     Minhyun chuckled. "That settles it. No more Ong Seongwoo. Kang Daniel has no room left in his heart. He's going to get married to Cat Seongwoo. Duh du du duhhh...." he teased and started singing the wedding march.

     "Oh, har har har you guys, you're as funny as ever picking on me. But I just had a bad feeling, I can't explain it. I had to see him. Where is he?"

 

     They searched the room. Seongeoo was laying on the floor, stretched out on his side. He was awake but didn't get up to greet Daniel like he usually would. Daniel soothingly talked to him and pet him. He was shaking and mewed softly, a sound like he was in pain. He also felt hot.

     "I think he's sick. I'm going to take him home, but if he's not better in a few hours, I will go see the vet.

     The cat whimpered and mewed weakly as he picked him up. His expression really didn't look good. He seemed sad and listless and he was shaking like a leaf. Daniel held him close, cradled gently in his arms, and comfortingly stroked his side.

     "What's wrong, pretty boy? Are you sick? Did you have a hard time sleeping too? Was it a nightmare?"

     The others snorted, insisting cats couldn't have nightmares. But Daniel, who had several cats at home, knew better. Animals had bad dreams and trouble sleeping, especially in stressfully situations.

     "Shoot, I caused him stress. He probably felt abandoned and like he lost another owner and was again stranded all on his lonesome. I told you I shouldn't have left him."

     "And I told you, you should have chosen a place to go shopping closer to home, or you should just give up on your fashion boy and fall in love with someone actually in your league!" Jisung exploded.

     Then he stomped out of the room, grumbling that he was going to sleep and no one should disturb him the entire rest of the weekend.

     "Er...can I stay here then until the vet opens?" Daniel asked with a sheepish grin, clearly scared for good reason about returning to his dorm.

     "Sure," the boys said together.

     Then the two boys returned to the bed to sleep while spooning each other and Daniel sat on the floor, holding the sick cat. Seongwoo closed his eyes, resting his head on his owner's chest, listening to his steady, calming heartbeat. Daniel watched him with concern, suddenly fighting the urge to sleep. They were both at ease now they were together again. Their terrible nightmares that unfortunately had been real events, some of the most dark ones, almost fading from their minds. This time, they drifted off peacefully. There were no more dreams of their dark pasts coming to haunt them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is just a fun, short, filler chapter that has got pretty much nothing to do with plot or Ongniel. I just wanted to explore Minhwan a bit and give you guys a little dose of another Wanna One ship in this story. I made it a little bit hot too, hope you don't mind that(does making out count as rated M? Not in my book anyway). This story is going to be 95% fluffy with a dose of hot thrown in here and there but it's not going to be explicitly rated until much later when Ongniel do it for the first time(which is related to plot, not just to put in smut).
> 
>  In my other story, I haven't made Minhwan a couple and I probably never will, so here I wanted to explore the idea a bit to see how it turned out. Depending on your guys' responses, I MAY just make them a couple as well sometime later in my other story. I also wanted to show that Seongwoo has a clear interest in mating with Daniel and he wants to learn from humans how to do it so he can give Daniel a good first time. That's why he's observing the couple as they kiss extremely closely and noting every detail(that he WILL be using later on). Which is sweet and naughty at the same time because he's having innocent thoughts about something totally not innocent at all. I hope that contrast made you laugh and squirm a bit. Never read kissing from an objective point of view from somone who knows nothing about it, right?
> 
> In the end of this story, I wanted to give you guys just a drop of angst and some dark ideas that will be rehashed later on in the story. One is about Seongwoo's father, who you will find to be evil incarnate and his mother's warning before she died. Two is about Daniel's bullying which was intense enough to force him to move schools and to scare him out of revealing his orientation for over a decade. These ideas will be important later and through-out the story here and there(just reminding you they share a dark past and scars that are difficult to heal). Maybe you recall I mentioned last chapter that Seongwoo was beaten by his father? He is a very violent, conservative, strict man and the main reason that Seongwoo ran away(though Seongwoo was bullied and talked about for not mating as well as I have mentioned slightly several chapters ago). I hate his father and I haven't even put his real character in the story yet ugh.
> 
> Things you learned about Minhyun and Jaehwan: They haven't gotten very far in their relationship, their hobby is teasing Daniel, Jaehwan talks big but actually Jaehwan is technically a virgin(haha oh, the irony, that's SO Jaehwan), Jaehwan secretly lacks confidence and gets hurt be people saying he's wierd, Jaehwan is childish and easily upset, Jaehwan's senstive spot is his ears(why Minhyun mentioned it during S. Ed), Minhyun used to be annoyed by Jaehwan but now he adores him, Minhyun is a really forward/affectionate/sweet/hot lover(he seems like he'd be a fabulous kisser, I got kind of jelly while writing their kiss scene).
> 
> Things you learned about Ongniel: Seongwoo was never close to his family, Seongwoo's mother loved and often protected him from his violent father, Seongwoo's father beats him and hates humans with a passion, Seongwoo is sick, Daniel was stuffed in a locker when he's a kid and that made him claustrophobic, Ongniel has to sleep together or they will have nightmares, Daniel has seperation issues because he's so attached to his kitty, Daniel is scared of Jisung when he's pissed, Seongwoo is very mischevious, Seongwoo likes messing around with Jaehwan, Seongwoo likes Minhyun second to Daniel, Seongwoo is a peeping tom who likes watching guys kiss(for research he says)
> 
> The next chapter is another bit of a filler but an important one for plot. It will include Jisung X Sungwoon on the same day this was all happening after he returns to his room and Daniel is with sick Seongwoo. Jisung has some interesting theories and observations about the Seongwoos in Daniel's life.
> 
> See you in a few days! If you like this story please comment, give kudos, and phone/mail a friend about it~ Also, this story is being crossed over from AFF where it's been completed and has over thirty chapters. If you want to read more and don't feel like waiting then please go ahead. You can find me and the story through simple search of names!


	15. Suspicions(with 2sung couple)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2sung moments, the couple discuss Seongwoo, the cat Seongwoo, and Daniel while they're spending some couply time together. Jisung is suspicious that human Seongwoo isn't who or even what he says he is.

 "You can come over now, Pookie...." Jisung snuggled into his bed, talking to his boyfriend on the phone he had forced awake awhile ago with his need to vent about Daniel. "I miss you and I'm cranky. I need a hug."

     "Why are you home so early? The sun's not even up all the way yet. Something happened to Daniel?"

     "Ugh, don't get me started. I'm so done with that lovesick cat obsessed idiot."

     "Don't say that. He's your best friend. You're just being cranky like usual because you didn't get enough beauty sleep," Sungwoon chuckled.

     Jisung felt better after hearing his boyfriend's laugh and voice. It was nice, gentle, and soothing. Something he really needed right now when he felt like an active volcano about to explode.

     "I know, I know. I will apologize later after I get sleep. But now I can't sleep because I'm too wound up. I need you. Come cuddle with me so I can sleep again."

     "Alright, you big baby. I will be there in five minutes."

     "Three minutes," Jisung insisted.

     "How about three and a half?" Sungwoon suggested with a teasing tone.

      "Okay...if you must make your handsome boyfriend who loves you so much he can't sleep without being in your arms wait, then I guess..." he replied reluctantly with a deep sigh.

     "I'm going, I'm going! Don't do your pouty melodramatic diva thing."

     "I'll stop when you show me those abs."

     "I'm working on it!" He replied defensively.

     "What, by stuffing your stomach with pizza? That may make you lumpy but not the attractive kind I want to see. Maybe I should cuddle with Daniel instead..." Jisung teased.

     "He's there? Don't!"

     It sounded like Sungwoon was trying to get ready faster. Jisung smiled and giggled with amusement. He loved playing on Sungwoon's jealousy and feelings of rivalry with Daniel. Sungwoon thought Daniel was extremely manly and irresistibly attractive.

     Jisung, on the other hand, knew better after living with him. Daniel was childlike, innocent, pure hearted, and he needed a ton of care. He was much too immature, so even if he had a nice body and face, Jisung couldn't picture being with him romantically. Daniel was like a son to him. They were several years apart in age even. He didn't fool around with people who were younger.

     "No, he's not. I was saying hypothetically. He's taking the cat to the vet. He seems sick."

     "Daniel?"

     "No, silly, the cat! Daniel had a nightmare and he said we needed to get back as quick as possible. He had a bad feeling the cat wasn't doing well. Isn't that kind of creepy? It's like they're telepathically connected..."

     "Red string of fate, you know. I believe in it. I'm buddhist."

     "Do you think we are too? Connected by the red string of fate?"

     "Of course. We met in a pretty unusual way."

     "I guess that's true. In that case, what am I thinking?"

     "You're thinking if I don't get there in one more minute, you're going to lock me out. So I'm running now." Jisung could indeed hear panting and stomping.

     "Hey, you're right. 59 58 57..." Sungwoon knew him really well at least that's true.

     "Yah~" Sungwoon started to run faster, then he shut off the phone.

 

 

     "29, 28, 26..."

     The door busted open. Sungwoon was there, fully dressed, his messy hair hidden by a hat, his bag full of school supplies meant to do later if Jisung asked him to stick around, which he usually did on the weekends. He was panting. He broke into a huge smile when he saw Jisung in bed.

     "Hey," "Hi," they both said, letting the syllables draw out and lift in a way that suggested they were both happy to see each other.

     They spent almost every day together since they had become official, though to be fair, they spent every other day together when they weren't official as well. Yet they couldn't seem to get enough of each other. Probably because they really needed to be intimate, but they both had stupid roommates that were home often. They had managed quickies between their homework and job schedules(they both worked at nearby restaurants)when Daniel was away for his dates.

     Sungwoon selfishly hoped that Daniel would get a boyfriend just so that he would be gone more frequently and then he'd be able to do it more with Jisung. He loved doing it with Jisung. He was the best lover he'd ever had. Enough to make him come three times in one day, which he hadn't even thought was possible. Plus, he knew all kinds of experiments and special naughty BDSM kind of tricks that made every time fresh and exciting.

     Not just in bed, Jisung always kept him on his toes. So finally being in a relationship with him was always interesting and fun. Jisung was unpredictable, like this for example. What a reward he got, Daniel not being home on the day when they had late starting schedules. But Sungwoon sensed Jisung was too tired so he wasn't planning on tempting him.

     "Baby, come here. I've warmed the bed up for you," Jisung welcomed with the blankets held wide open.

     Sungwoon put down his stuff and jumped eagerly onto the bed. Jisung wrapped his arm around his waist and laid his head on the younger's chest. They snuggled into the warm blankets.

     Sungwoon kissed his forehead and murmured lovingly. "Sleep now, baby. We can talk when you wake up."

     He was honestly still tired too. But if Jisung wanted to talk, he would fight his fatigue. He would do pretty much anything for him. Jisung was his life now.

     Jisung hummed and closed his eyed. "Ah, much better. I'm drowsy already."

     "Shh.." Seongwoo sang a soft lullaby until he was sure the other was asleep.

     Jisung slept right away if he held him and even faster if he sang.

 

 

     Sungwoon woke-up to a body being pressed a bit uncomfortably against him. That was because Jisung was yawning and stretching. He yawned and stretched too. They had slept three whole hours.

     "Hey, did you sleep better? Not cranky anymore?" Sungwoon asked in concern, covering his mouth in case of morning breath.

     Jisung sat up, laying on his chest even more, then kissed him sweetly. "Much better. Thanks to you. That was sweet of you to come over. Sorry for making demands at you in the middle of the night. I was really irritated and sleep deprived."

     "It's okay. I'm happy just to spend time with a beautiful, cuddly person like you."

     Sungwoon leaned forward and held his chin like a caress and kissed him for awhile.

     "You're so sweet in the morning, Sungwoon. I always love you more right after I wake up."

     Jisung leaned forward for more kisses he was obviously offering. They shared sweet kisses, gradually getting longer, deeper, and more passionate the next few minutes. Jisung sighed against his smiling lips. He squealed as Sungwoon suddenly flipped him over and dived for his neck. His hand went into Jisung's shirt, sliding up his sensitive skin, slow yet steady to his nipple. Sungwoon kissed lightly from Jisung's jaw to his collar and then nipped and licked his way back up.

     "Ah, hmm, that's nice Sungwoon..." Jisung moaned, shivers going through his whole body.

     Sungwoon felt more excited by Jisung's pleasure sounds and when he did, he tended to get a bit violent. He pinched and bit Jisung's skin in his most sensitive areas, but it was at the exact level of pain he liked.

     "God, that's good..." Jisung cried out, his body writhing.

     "How much time before Daniel comes by?" Sungwoon whispered gruffly against his skin.

     "Not sure. Let me call him."

     As he called, Sungwoon lifted up his shirt and started kissing his chest and stomach, his fingers caressing and slightly scratching his waist. Jisung bit his finger to hold back a moan as he talked over the phone. Daniel said he was at the vet, still waiting for Seongwoo to finish his checkup. Apparently, the cat seemed better after getting some sleep on Daniel's lap, but Daniel was still worried about him and decided to get a professional opinion and some medicine.

     "What did he say?" Sungwoon stopped his delightful attack on his nipple to ask eagerly, his almond shaped eyes dark with intense lust.

     "Seems we don't have that much time. Maybe an hour."

     "Only an hour?" He pouted. "If I get started today, I think I need to go twice." 

     Jisung caressed his cheek and smiled with understanding. Sometimes it really sucked not living alone. "Let's wait for his next date then. I think he's meeting that foreigner tomorrow or the next."

     Sungwoon brightened and kissed his wrist. "Perfect. I can wait that long."

     "Sorry. Now I'm all riled up..." Jisung sighed, his body on fire and uncomfortably excited.

     "Want me to take care of it?" Sungwoon asked gently, his hand reaching for the other's boxers.

     Jisung stopped that tempting, wondering hand just barely. His boyfriend was so quick with these things and eager to please. Sungwoon was the most selfless lover he'd ever had and the most energetic too. He was the first guy Jisung had met that could keep up with him and cared for his needs first.

     "No, it's alright. I've been thinking some things...I want you to just hear me out, because I really need to just vent out loud to someone..."

 

 

     Sungwoon laid over Jisung's lower body, put down his shirt so he wasn't tempted, and laid his head on the boy's stomach. Sungwoon was sort of embracing him. Jisung lazily played with his blonde strands of hair as he thought.

     "Do you think it's okay for Daniel to meet this guy?"

     "Why? Did you learn something?"

     "No, he's still a mystery. Too much of a mystery. I've never seen him in any of my classes. Then, I asked around and apparently no one has. I don't think he's actually in the department."

     "Maybe he just transferred."

     "Could be, but get this. He's never mentioned where his country is or his native language. Then, some wierd things have been happening around here. I get home and the door is unlocked. Someone must have let Seongwoo out the other day. Then, I heard someone talking to himself here the other night, but I'm not sure if I was dreaming. Someone has been wearing and even taking my clothes. And I'm sure someone is cleaning up Daniel's side of the room. Get Daniel's tablet for me..."

     Sungwoon brought it over obediently. Whatever his lovely Jisung wanted, he got it and Sungwoon always followed his ideas. Though he wasn't really understanding where he was going with this one quite yet. Jisung opened it and showed him a picture.

     "Isn't that the guy? Okay, so he invited him over here once."

     "No, he didn't! Daniel tells me everything, you see. He definitely would have told me if they were in the same room. And he would have obsessed about how the room looked. He probably wouldn't just leave his comics, trash, and stashes of jellies around. Would you want a guy you like to see your room looking like that? Anyway, the most important thing is here. Look at the date of the picture. This was before Daniel first met him. Also, he's wearing my shirt or one very similar just by accident. You know my clothes have been disappearing too."

     "So it's strange, I admit. But what are you implying?"

     "I'm implying that Ong Seongwoo might be some kind of huge Daniel fan and he's snuck into this school and our dorm to stalk him, wear his clothes, steal things, leave pictures. What if he gets close to Daniel to do something crazy? Like tie him up in the bed and torture him? What if he sneaks in here in the middle of the night and tries to kiss him and stuff?"

     Sungwoon nodded and pinched his chin, humming for a few seconds as he considered everything.

     "I see your point, but wether he's crossing the line or not by actually doing these things, the main point is that he's crazy about Daniel and Daniel is crazy about him. I don't think Daniel would mind being stalked or even raped by someone this gorgeous and reeking with pheremones that just seem to scream 'fuck me hard daddy.' He would be flattered. He probably has a kink for that, seeing how much porn this guy has."

     Sungwoon joked as he clicked on the bird named folder and started flipping through the hundreds of rated files with interesting names like 'doctor of love' and 'spanks from hell' and 'all semens aboard.'

     "How can you say that? We can't let Daniel fall in love with a stalker. It's dangerous! He's unbalanced. He could chop off one of his balls!" Jisung angrily exclaimed, but Sungwoon was too absorbed to pay him much mind.

     Sungwoon laughed, clicking on one of the videos to see what it contained. It was a soft BDSM video, one guy dressed in lacy lanties, leather boots, and a spiky collered harness, the other boy choking him by yanking on a leash attached to the choker. He was temptingly rubbing his monstrous front wrapped in leather shorts against the other's rear.

     "Holy shit, that's hot. Daniel is into BDSM and lace? Woah, that's a shock of a lifetime...He looks vanilla. He would definitely like the idea of Seongwoo raping him in his sleep, I guarantee it, but he'd prefer he was all in leather with some lingerie."

     "Oh my gosh, you perv, that's not what's important! You're unbelievable! Shut that off! It's his private business, what he gets off to I really don't want to know." Jisung took the tablet away and closed the tabs.

     Sungwoon shrugged, still snickering, and tempted to watch more out of curiousity. "I would say that interfering in his growing relationship just because you are jealous of a guy being prettier than you is considered messing with his private life too."

     "Hey, that's not true! He's not... that pretty...." Jisung huffed with a grimace.

     "Seriously? Look at that face. It makes your knees weak and your heart race, just admit it."

     He flashed the picture of Seongwoo in Daniel's tablet again. The handsomely pretty boy was winking with a big, cheesy smile. He obviously didn't know how to take pictures properly. It was an odd pose. Jisung hated to admit though, the boy was incredibly adorable. He wanted to be happy for Daniel and cheer his crush on(despite feeling his beauty was threatened). If only he could trust this pretty foreigner. But there were so many signs pointing to him being odd and untrustworthy.

 

 

     "Okay, let's say he started out liking Daniel as a stalker. Now he's pursuing him out in the open. Right? Maybe he likes Daniel a lot. So, now he's showing he likes him the proper way. If you tell Daniel, you will ruin their chances. Just wait and see if he does anything more stalkery. He may even tell Daniel he did that and he's sorry. He doesn't necessarily have to be a psycho. Maybe he just likes Daniel a lot and since he's a foreigner and doesn't have any experience, he didn't know any way to express he likes him and get to know him. Maybe he was just here to get some information about Daniel so he could have a conversation when he finally approached him that day in the library."

     Jisung knew he had a point there. He would hate to ruin Daniel's chances if Seongwoo actually liked him by acting on a misunderstanding. "But it's dangerous. He came in at night..."

     "So what? He was just watching him sleep probably. Daniel would like it if he woke up with Seongwoo in his bed anyway I'm sure. If you're worried though, lock the door always."

     "But because of him, the cat got out..."

     "Well, that was an accident I'm sure. The cat probably ran out."

     "But isn't that wierd? The cat chose it's name , Daniel said. It's Seongwoo too. And while Daniel was on the date last weekend, the cat was nowhere to be found. You don't think...."

     Sungwoon sighed, sensing where this particular thought was going was going to cause him a migraine. "Think what? What kind of nonsense is going through your pretty head now?"

     "You don't think they're the same person, do you? Like he can transform because he's half human, half cat. Or turning into a cat is his superpower or something? Like cat-man..."

     Sungwoon looked at his boyfriend like he was cutely insane. "You need more sleep, maybe some anxiety relief pills too. Honey, I love you, but you're losing it now. We're not in an anime."

     Jisung hit his arm and gasped. "No, think about it! Daniel said Seongwoo reminds him of a cat. Like he has cat habits. Then, the cat Seongwoo sometimes I'm sure he can understand us and talks back to us. He's really human-like, we've all noticed that. He's really intelligent too. He can even read! I'm sure of it. Ong Seongwoo is our cat, he's some kind of super human!"

     Sungwoon let out a long sigh, seeming like he was forcing himself to be patient. "Um...okay. Let's go with that theory for now. But don't say anything to Daniel yet. Just watch him and gather evidence first. If this is true or it turns out Ong Seongwoo's a dangerous stalker, we will tell Daniel to stay away from him. Now, breathe deep a few times so you can calm down. I think my arm is bleeding, so it would be really great if you could also let go of it...."

     Jisung had hit and dug his fingers into his arm as he excitedly spat out his theories. There were red marks and he had indeed broke some skin.

     "Oh my god, baby, I'm so sorry! I'll get the first aid kit!"

 

 

     Jisung bandaged Sungwoon and put infection ointment on with extra care, continuously apologizing and kissing Sungwoon's cheek. Although he wasn't angry. The only time he ever got angry at Jisung was when he seemed too close to Daniel.

     "Don't think about it for now. Or try. Let's just enjoy freedom before we're busy again."

     "Okay, yeah, you're right. Do you have lots of homework?" 

     "Just a bit of worksheets for programming. How about you?"

     "I have to write an essay about the history and transformation of stripes over the generations."

     "Sounds boring," he made a face, sticking out his tongue.

     Sungwoon liked Jisung but he still didn't like or understand a bit of his major.

     "Yours isn't any better. It's not even in Korean. Ugh, I hate numbers. Looking at Daniel's homework gives me enough of a headache already."

     "Well, sorry if numbers offend you, Sir Magesty Zebra Stripes. I will do my homework on the opposite bed so I don't offend your sensitive eyes."

     "No, don't do that! I will put up with your numbers. I will miss you over there." Jisung wrapped his arms and legs around Sungwoon like a koala does to a tree.

     "You will miss me when I'm just a yard away?" Sungwoon asked doubtfully with a raised eyebrow.

     Jisung nodded and pouted against his shoulder, squeezing him tightly. "I miss you when you're not right next to me."

     Sungwoon laughed and pinched his cheek. His gaze and fingers went to the other's pouty, rosy lips.

     "You're too adorable. It's irresistible. I've got to have you today. I can't wait until tomorrow. Just tell Dan not to come back for another hour," Sungwoon said roughly.

Then, Sungwoon jumped on Jisung, shoving him to the bed, gripping up his shirt so Sungwoon could scratch at his chest, and kissing him fiercely with a needy, skillful tongue. Jisung barely had enough time or consciousness from the way his boyfriend made him moan to text Daniel before he'd gotten Jisung's clothes off and started round one of their fun time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again~ First, sorry this chapter has no Ongniel whatsoever in it. Originally, it was going to but then the ideas that I had for the next chapter ended up being rather long and this part with 2sung wasn't as short as I expected because I got kind of carried away with their interactions, so I had to split the original chapter up. This chapter is essential for plot. Those little things Seongwoo has been careless with doing or not thinking of covering up have been piling up with Jisung. Jisung is a very sharp person and annalytical, so he noticed all these little things here and there and then started to piece together the time, the cat/human signs, and the similar names until he reached the actual unbelievably strange conclusion we all know to be true. But he won't voice it for awhile because it's an insane idea that couldn't possibly be true because cat-men aren't real, right? Sungwoon will try to convince him it's not true, but the suspicion has been planted and the damage is done. Next chapter Jisung plants the idea somewhere in Daniel's mind as well(he thinks it's ridiculous currently because he's a dense puppy)and as time goes on Jisung is only going to get more and more suspicious and he's going to watch both Ongs to see what's wierd about him. Later, because of what happened in this chapter, Jisung will be a huge hindrance yet also a helper for this couple. The reveal is still aways away, sorry if you're really wanting some angst to pop up(not quite yet but it will come and it will be a doozy, ooh do I have plans for you).
> 
>  
> 
> The next chapter has lots of Ong!cat X Niel. You will figure out why Seongwoo is sick and what Daniel does about it after he finds out(Don't worry, it's not that serious, it's rather comical actually, if you know a thing or two about animals and you've been paying attention to what season it is in this story still, you can probably guess). His sickness plays a huge key part in the rest of the plot and how Ong!human X Daniel interactions go on future dates. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this little spicy yet sweet version of 2sung. I will be exploring them more as a couple here in this story and I would love to hear your feedback about it. If the response is good, I'm thinking of making them an actual couple much later on down the road in Meeting a Stranger but no guarentees. Personally, I like their dynamic and I can see them together with their ages and personalities but they're not a popular ship so it's mostly wishful thinking. 


	16. Let's Get You a Kitty Mate!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel takes cat!Ong to the vet and learns he is having heat troubles, that's why he's been sick. He takes the cat to a cat cafe to meet a 'mate' but Ong isn't very interested despite being incredibly popular among the felines. Daniel encourages him and wonders why he won't choose one, deciding that the cat is probably gay and picky. Back at the dorms, Jisung opens up to Daniel about some of his strange suspicions. As he suspected, Daniel doesn't believe that it's possible that his cat could be human. Jisung feels guilty, so he makes an effort to get closer to the cat and helps Daniel plan his next date with Seongwoo.

     Daniel decided to go back to the dorms two hours later out of curtousy. Jisung's text had been simple and direct. 'Do not disturb. Come back later.' Daniel knew that was cue for the couple was doing the nasty. He certainly didn't want to walk in on that, so he gave them a clear window to take out their intimate needs as much as they needed.

      He took Seongwoo somewhere nice the doctor suggested. It was called a cats' park. It was designed with the same idea as a kids' park only for cats. There, cats could wander around, sleep, climb on things as they pleased, and there were hundreds of different toys. Seongwoo didn't socialize too much. He still seemed as if he hadn't been able to fully return to his self.

      The doctor thought it was stress and he said the Bengal was suffering from his first wave of heat , meaning that his body was telling him it was ready to mate. As he kindly explained, Bengals had longer and more frequent heat cycles. They hit around spring and fall before they reached the peak in the first month of the next season when they mated. Apparently they mated two times a year. He figured then that they would have more kittens which seemed wierd because he read they were rare.

     The doctor explained the reason they mated so often was because it was difficult for females to carry their babies through a full pregnancy term. They didn't have large litters, usually just one or two a year if they could manage. He said that males had a very strong, sexual drive from after their first couple years of adulthood to pretty much until the day they died.

     Daniel had asked what he could do to help, and the doctor had suggested here. This way he could meet a future mate to relieve his symptoms if he wished and he could lose some stress. He felt the cat was going through some loneliness being seperated from his family. The doctor had said Bengals usually stuck with their own kind more than other breeds of cats. They usually didn't do any mixed breeding and it was rare to see them raised by people. People tried to raise them, but usually they ran away when they got time to be outside. They liked living in the wild, it was in their DNA since they were partially wild cats.

 

 

     Daniel sat down with a coffee and observed Seongwoo. The cat first wondered around the cafe, sniffing, pawing, and licking everything. Daniel learned he was a very agile and quick climber. He went to the top of the cat scratcher jungle gym in just a few leaps in quick sucession, not losing his balance or hesitating once. Daniel smiled with pride and chuckled when the pretty cat sat on the top perch he was almost too big for and fearlessly started to bath.

     After his bath, Seongwoo jumped down and went to check out the toy selection. He drug out a toy mouse and batted it around lazily with his front paws all over the floor. He would fling it a few feet, walk over to it, bat at it, and then fling it again. Daniel rested his head on his palm and watched him play by himself with an affectionate grin.

     "Such a cutie. He really stands out..."

     The other cats seemed to pale largely in comparison. Seongwoo was bigger, leaner, more agile, his reflexes quicker, his coat glossier. Or is it that I am blinded by love? Like parents always think their child is the prettiest? But he was certain anyone would notice Seongwoo's superiority. Other cats had seemed to as well.

     They kept glancing over at the Bengal cat. Then, some braver, more curious cats started to approach him. Seongwoo displayed politeness by properly sniffing their noses in greeting but he didn't seem to take a particular liking. If cats liked each other, they would start either roughhousing or licking each other.

     But no matter how many cats came over to greet and show interest in him, Seongwoo didn't show an ounce of interest back. He would just play on his own or lay down doing nothing, quietly observing his surroundings with a serene, unreadable, cool expression. A short-haired seimese cat who was mostly white with the prettiest ocean blue eyes came up to him and meowed warmly. Seongwoo turned to her and cocked his head, meowing half-heartedly back.

     "Oh, she's pretty! Come on boy, you can do it. Flirt with her. Strut your stuff!" Dani encouraged quietly.

     The cats bumped noses and meowed some more. The female cat seemed to be smiling and batting her eyes at him. Her mew even seemed inviting and seductive somehow. She rubbed up against the Bengal's body and swished her tail under his nose. She was clearly flirting and attempting to seduce him, which made Daniel giggle excitedly like he was watching a romance movie.

     Seongwoo scrunched his face in annoyance and huffed, more like he was planning on filming a comedy. Then, he got up and strutted away. The female cat looked offended. She sat and watched the attractive male walk off with a pout as if it was the first time she'd ever been rejected.

     "Aigoo, Seongwoo! What's wrong with you? She's purrrfect!" Danirl groaned, face palming himself and shaking his hand at him in frustration.

     "Don't you want to get rid of your symptoms? You're feeling ill. You need a girl. Exactly how high is this guy's standards? Is it because she's a different breed?" He pondered to himself, scratching his chin.

 

 

     That wasn't the only female brave enough to approach Seongwoo that had their affections cooly and immediately shut down. Seongwoo was brutal. To male cats, he would at least have a short conversation with them, but at one point with female cats he would hiss at them when they even gave him a look and stepped in his direction.

     "No way, is this Seongwoo gay too?" Dani pondered with delight.

     Wait, if that was the case, would he be able to mate and get rid of his symptoms this season? Which was more rare, male coupling in cat species or human species? 

     "Would you like to play with them? Cats all love this toy. All you need to do is point it at the floor or a wall and push this button." A clerk gave Daniel a silver plastic device that was small and shaped like an egg.

     He thanked her and stood up, facing the wall where many cats were hanging out at the jungle gym area. There was a red dot that appeared on the wall after he pushed a button.

     "Oh, its a laser~ Cool!" he said with an impressed tone and a dorky, deep chuckle. He loved electronic toys.

     He drew pictures on the wall, his name, and then a bad word and a penis for fun, giggling as he amused himself. Gradually, he gathered a crowd of cats. They did that wierd bird chirping sound that cats do when they're interested or excited. They meowed and jumped up the wall, chasing it back and forth, and trying to catch it. Seongwoo sat back, swishing his head back and forth, but, to his owner's surprise, didn't join the frenzied chase.

     "I know just how to get you to play with other cats. Let's make some friends and get you some skinship with some sexy male, hmm?" He chuckled as he brought the lazer pointer dot on to Seongwoo's back.

     The cats followed the light and bounced on him, lightly batting their paws on his back. Daniel was sure it was a nice massage. Seongwoo, completely surprised and unsure of how to handle all the undesired touching, flipped over on his back to defend himself, grabbing at a black cat that was lying over his stomach. The two wrestled and bit at each other for a minute, playful and irritated meows sounding. Then, Daniel directed the other cats elsewhere to give the two male cats some alone time.

     The black male who was also rather large laid on Seongwoo's back after they tired of wrestling, and started licking and nibbling at his ears. Seongwoo for once, didn't seem to mind. Either that, or he was just tired of fighting off these guys' advances. He closed his eyes and laid his head on his paws, seeming to enjoy the silence and care.

     Daniel snickered at the sweet sight. Then, he tiptoed closer, wanting to see better what was going on with his little buddy's date, chuckling like a happy older brother. The white siamese cat and an orange tabby cat also came over a minute later, not taking any more interest in the mysterious, uncatchable red dot. They cuddled close on either side of the purring Bengal and licked at Seongwoo's paws and back. Seongwoo tolerated that too, after a surprised meow, but he didn't seem so happy about being the center of attention.

 

 

     "So, how did it go?" Jisung asked when Daniel got back to their room.

     Daniel was relieved to see that Sungwoon was gone, Jisung had showered, and the evidence of their kinky romping time was gone from the room. The distinct rather sour, bitter, sweaty smell of sex still lingered in the air as it did whenever these two had a moment alone here.

     Daniel was used to it. Honestly, he kind of didn't mind the smell. It just made him envious he had yet to have experienced being the source of that smell along with someone he cared for and was attracted to. But someday, hopefully in the next month or two, it will be a different story. I want to be the one texting Jisung not to come home for awhile because me and Seongwoo need privacy, the human one.

     Daniel let the cat Seongwoo out of his carrier. The cat went right for his food and water, his tail swishing happily. It seemed like he was saying 'there's no place like home, it's so great to be back'. He chomped on a few pellets, then went to the refrigerator. He pawed at the door and looked pointedly at Daniel. He meowed, seeming to say 'um, helllooo, hurry up and get me the good stuff, I'm freaking starving here'. Daniel looked over at Jisung. Jisung looked between them, then waved with a soft, divaish sigh.

     "Sure, sure, whatever he wants. He was feeling sick and all, plus he had his first traumatic vet experience. Was he scared by the way?"

     "Yeah, I think he was. He was shaking and meowing a lot. Mommy should have come. But Mommy was being a cranky jerk, wasn't he? Even though Daddy was totally right about our baby not feeling well," Daniel jokingly scolded Jisung as he opened the fridge door to get what Seongwoo wanted.

     Jisung smiled sheepishly and scratched his neck. "Sorry about that. I was really tired. Sungwoon already scolded me and made me feel better."

     "Sure a good hard fuck made all the jerkiness fly right out of you, huh?" Daniel teased, making Jisung turn all red in embarassment.

     "Yes, if you must so untactfully bring it up that way, it does. Someday soon, I hope you will know too, Virgin Daniel. Carry that condom with you on every date just in case. If you can even recall how to use it..."

     "I better find some better hiding place. The other day it fell out of my pocket and he thought it was medicine. Can you believe that? I don't think his country has condoms."

     "Maybe he's too innocent to know about it? He seems like he's way more virgin than you."

     "Well, he obviously watches porn on occasion. He asked me what 'fuck me hard' meant and stuff like that."

     Jisung chuckled, bringing his hand up to his mouth in amused surprise. "Oh, wow. I would kill to have seen your reaction. Maybe he found an adult channel by accident on TV. How did you explain it?"

     "I explained very simply what sex is in terms of what he knows in his culture. They call it mating. I think they're polygamous or never get married. You know they're allowed to have affairs even when they have a family?"

     "Woah, that's wierd. Did he by chance say what country he was from?"

     "No, he didn't yet. I figured I just wouldn't know. Must be a tiny one."

     The cat started meowing impatiently and jumped on his legs, pushing to get his attention. 'Hey, you silly humans, stop talking and start feeding! Dying and sick cat here!'

     "Oh, sorry, buddy. I didn't realize you were quite that hungry. You diva, you could just eat your cat food."

     He turned up his nose and meowed stubbornly back, as if to say 'I don't want to. I don't like it much!'

     "Psh. Such a picky guy you are, Seongwoo. Even earlier with the cats. Just choose a pretty mate already. What do you want? Show me."

     Seongwoo jumped onto his hind legs and put his nose on the foods he wanted. Banana milk and leftover tuna, go figure. It must be a Seongwoo thing all around the world. Daniel took it out and went to put it on a saucer because his prince always liked to eat as cleanly as possible.

     "What was the problem?" Jisung asked, closing the fridge door for him kindly 

     "Seongwoo is in heat apparently and will be for a couple more months off and on. His breed gets heavily affected by it too, it seems. I brought him to a cat cafe but he totally ignored every female to approach him. I think he's gay actually. He seemed to get along with males better. But he's picky. He didn't have a spark with any of them it seemed. I will have to take him once or twice a week, I guess, until he finds a mate."

     The cat jumped up on the counter, trying to nab the tuna as soon as he unwrapped it.

     "No, Seongwoo. Waiting is half the fun. It makes the treat all the better," Dabiel instructed with his finger pointed at his nose.

     Seongwoo pouted but obediently sat back. 'I hate being teased' he seemed to complain.

     "Don't we both," Dani thought of how Ong Seongwoo teased him sexually in several ways unintentionally.

 

 

     "Oh my god, are you still talking to him? Do you think he understands you?" Jisung commented, leering at the cat as if he was trying to get inside his head.

     Daniel shrugged nonchalantly.

     "I'm not sure. I just get this feeling of what he's thinking or saying sometimes. Maybe I'm an animal psychic. Or maybe we just click. I think I was destined to be his owner. Look at the strange way we met. He could have approached any stranger but it was me that one night he decided to trust."

     "If you say so. You don't find it somewhat strange with how intelligent he is? Like he's too human and he can actually understand and attempts to communicate? I've never heard of a cat being able to read either in my life. And I hate to tell you this, but I'm almost sure he's able to open doors and cleans up your room...in your experience, is it possible to clean for cats?"

     "Wait, you're the one who has been cleaning, right?And how can a cat open a locked door? That's nonsense, hyung," Daniel laughed.

     Jisung eyed Seongwoo suspiciously. The cat was busy munching away, apparently not listening. Jisung wondered if he was just pretending not to listen so that he would look more cat-like and the suspicious trail he was on would be thrown off.

     "Is it really nonsense though? He's not into cats like you said. What if he's into humans?" Jisung suggested lightly.

     Daniel snorted in amusement and shook his head while looking at the busily eating cat. "Is that kind of thing possible? I've heard of beastiality, but I've never heard of it working the other way around."

     "Well, he's really attached to you..." Jisung pointed out. "That seems unnatural."

     Daniel smirked, feeling amused at this conversation. Where did Jisung come up with this kind of outlandish idea? Sure, he liked cats and his cat liked him, but they weren't on the verge of fornicating.

     "But think about it, he hasn't been humping me."

     "He licks you a lot and often purrs around you and follows you around though."

     Daniel shrugged. That was indeed true, but it was an obvious thing to happen for all feline owners. His cats at home were more attached and friendly with him than his family members as well.

     "That's just because I care for him the most."

     "He likes Minhyun too. I think he has a thing for human males, handsome ones. Going to a cat cafe will probably just be a waste of time."

     "No, it won't. I will find him a mate, just you watch. My cat isn't into humans like that, it's just wierd."

     "It wouldn't be so wierd if he was human though, would it..." Jisung muttered.

     Now my friend has just lost his mind. To think, my precious pretty boy is able to transform into a human and wanders around the room and campus while we're out, what a preposterous idea. He really had some imagination there though. He should be making movies or stories, not studying patterns.

     "Seongwoo being human? Hyung, what are you smoking? Please share."

     Seongwoo looked up and gave Jisung a look like he was funny and odd for thinking that too. 'Are you okay? Who would ever believed that? I think he should go to the looney bin, Dan.' Jisung looked back at him thoughtfully. Then, he laughed hysterically and turned to Daniel.

     "Yeah, Sungwoon said the same thing. Maybe I've been using highlighters too much and the chemicals are doing something to me. I should switch to e-books..."

 

 

     The cat went back to eating, no longer deeming theie talk worthy of his royal attention. Daniel took out the laser and showed him how the toy worked. He explained that Seongwoo really loved it.

     "Can I try?" Jisung asked tentatively.

     "Well, he's eating and he hasn't been feeling well so I'm not sure he will be so enthusiastic but here you go...Well, I'll be damned."

     Seongwoo stopped right in the middle of a hearty chewing session on a pink fleshy chunk of tuna when he spotted the red dot. He charged to the wall with an excited chirp and jumped up high. Of course, he touched the dot but failed to catch it.

     "Let's see how high he can jump."

     Jisung put the dot up higher and higher. Seongwoo would run to the back of the room,  turn, and then dash up the wall. He was able to get almost all the way up to the cieling.

     "Woah, that's impressive!" Daniel jogged over and picked up the cat, ruffling his fur affectionately, and beaming down at him. "Oh, thank god, you're back to yourself now. You were just acting earlier because you didn't want to play with the other cats. Jeez, you're such a chic, stubborn kitty."

     The cat was looking all over with jerky head motions and swiftly flashing alert eyes, searching for where that pesky dot was. He seemed to say, 'Where did it go? I must catch it this time, I won't sleep until I get it.'

     "He seems better already. Maybe his heat spells just last a couple of hours?"

     "That would be great if it was true. I hate to see him suffer...Anyway, enough of that. I have a few hours to plan tomorrow's date. In the morning, I have to go buy Seongwoo a gift. If you have time, help me with that too."

     "Hmm, let me see your idea list again..."

     Jisung held out his hand. Daniel took his notebook from the desk, putting Seongwoo down on the bed. He put it in the other boy's hand while the cat laid down for a nap. Jumping on a full stomach had exhausted him apparently. 

     Jisung hummed and chewed on the strawberry cap of his pen as he looked it over. He circled some things and looked it over. The path was... "Dinner, fireworks, norebang, birthday cake and present. Sure it's not too simple? I don't want to seem dull."

     "This one is simple yet classic, fun yet romantic, and you guys have lots of private time. You said he likes singing. For dinner, eat bulgogi. All foreigners like that, plus it's meat. Men like meat, no matter what country they're from. Like this, you should be able to get his mood up and while you eat cake, the mood will be right to finally get a real kiss. Always avoid crowded places. Go to places you can share a room with total privacy instead, and definitely hit an area with dimmed lighting that sets a mood. I guarantee your intimacy will spike to incredulous levels in a few dates."

     "Yeah, that's what you would think and what I can only hope. But Seongwoo is totally innocent. He didn't understand the idea of sex, remember? I accidently lost my control and I kissed him at the crepes shop. I told him that it was used as treatment for moles. I kissed these adorable freckles he has on his cheek, you see. They were just calling to me and made me lose my grip on my sanity. He actually believed me! He even kissed my eye mole back."

     "Hey, that's to your advantage. He's really naive though to believe that, I worry for his safety. Anyway, so you can kiss his moles and ask for some 'treatment' back. Then, you just subtly shift your face and accidentally brush his lips on yours. Then, from there it's just natural. If you guys have chemistry, you will be in make-out heaven in no time."

     Daniel flushed and scratched his neck shyly. "Ah, I don't think I can do that. It seems so sneaky. I want our first kiss to be romantic and mutual, not like an accident. And it's a bit early to try any tongue I think..."

     Jisung shrugged. "Okay, fine, be picky. I was just telling you a sure fire way to get the little fuck train rolling in this relationship. At least get the romantic mood going then, and tell him you seriously like him. If he says he likes you back, then that's your opportunity to kiss him. You can just assume you're dating after that since you're both kindergartners when it comes to relationships. It will be the best present he's ever had. I wish I had gotten a boyfriend and kiss for one of my birthdays."

     "You think that will work?" Daniel asked doubtfully.

     Jisung smirked and winked. "Sure do. Trust me. I've dated way more than you even know."

     "Should I tell Sungwoon how many men you've been with?" He teased.

     "I told him that I've been with four."

     "What's the real number though?" Daniel asked with a knowing smirk.

     "Hmm, at least twenty...that I can remember the names of," Jisung smiled smugly back as he snickered. "Our secret, bff."

     "You dog!" Daniel smacked his leg playfully. "How do I get a romantic mood at a norebang then, dating expert?"

     "Oh, first you've got to pick the perfect song just before you bring out the cake. Then, when you get the cake, you've got to..."

     Through the rest of the night, Daniel took down dating advice from Jisung and planned out the entire birthday course and what he would say and do tomorrow. He was determined to make the perfect date for Seongwoo's birthday, concluding in a romantic first kiss. Tomorrow is going to be absolutely perfect! I'm going to get my first real kiss! 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out my story Puppy Love for dog shifting Daniel. I wrote three chapters so far and I'm sure you will like it as much as you're liking this story! https://archiveofourown.org/works/13608948/chapters/31243338
> 
>  
> 
> Sorry for there being no Ong!Human X Niel these days. Chapters 14, 15, 16 all happen in two days and at the time Daniel is getting ready for Ong's birthday date coming up so I took the time to add other couple moments as well as some fluff with Ong!Cat. I miss writing about Ong!Cat because soon he will not be around in the story pretty much at all because eventually Daniel has to figure out about his identity and once they become an official couple then I'm going to want to write more about them as humans since it's easier to get their relationship to progress. So, I hope you enjoyed the Ong!Cat because it's the last dose for a long while. I enjoy writing fluff and comical moments with Daniela and Ong!Cat so I had fun with this. I really like the idea of how Daniel is trying to find him a cat mate while Seongwoo is frustrated because the only mate that he wants is the stupid human that is trying to set him up with animals he doesn't like haha. Such a face-palm moment for everyone who's not Dan. I actually made myself laugh there.
> 
> To answer some questions, this chapter has some important plot points. Yes, as some of you guessed, Ong is starting to come into heat, that's why he's sick. The mating months for shifters are June and December and the fall and spring seasons are what shifters refer to as the 'courting season'. Basically, before the heat cycles get worse, the shifters search around for a mate, then once they do they usually mate with them for one to two months all winter or summer. As the doctor hinted and I've touched on in some parts of this story, these shifters he thinks of as 'Bengal Cats' usually only breed with each other and a few years after they reach adulthood, their sexual drive becomes much stronger(it's been three years since Ong started having to participate in courting and getting heat waves). Which is what is going to be gradually happening with Seongwoo. He's experienced heat waves before but this time it is stronger because of his age. He thinks that if he is in a human form that it is much easier to deal with, which is true to an extent(those times he didn't have a mate he was attracted to and he didn't have any interest in mating so his psych was in a different state). Seongwoo's 'sickness' is his heat waves and they will be coming more often and stronger in the next couple of months as mating season approaches(and him and Dan get more physical). During this time, he appears more attractive and he seems to be irresistible, even when he's in his human form but especially in cat form. To his utter annoyance since he truly dislikes females(but he will later enjoy the power it gives him over Daniel, yes poor guy is going to become even more insanely attracted to Seongwoo who's suddenly become more temptingly seductive). 
> 
> Another important plot point is Jisung's decision to subtly tell Daniel about his theories and some of his observations. Daniel of course doesn't believe him just like Sungwoon doesn't, but the point is that the idea is implanted somewhere in his mind. Deep down, he knows that there is something strange with how similar the two Seongwoo's in his life are and that certain things don't match up about both of them(as seen especially by his list of facts). Will he piece it together himself before Jisung stumbles on evidence to prove Seongwoo is actually a 'cat-man'? Or will he continue to be too blinded by love and caught up in his busy life to figure it out on his own before the ugly truth is laid right out in front of him? Well, I want you guys to ponder about that and share your ideas for the next five or six chapters before the reveal occurs(I promise, no more spoilers). I put this whole Jisung thing in early because I want you guys to know that there is a lurking detective who is trying to figure out what is going on and is waiting for Seongwoo to make some wrong move that he can add to his arsenol of evidence that Seongwoo is a freak Daniel cannot trust or stay with. I know it makes him out to seem like a villian, but I think if your best friend was in this situation, you may feel the same and do anything to protect him(Ong does seem like a stalker fan at least and the idea of my friend fooling around with a cat is kind of freaky as well). Plus, he's still kind enough to give proper dating advice even though he doesn't approve of them so much.
> 
> I hope you are enjoying this story so far! I hope it's a good mix of comical, sweet, fluffy, romantic and mysterious. Later there will be some angst, drama and action thrown in there to make things even more interesting. The next chapter is very long because I put basically Ong and Daniel's POV in throughout their entire date instead of splitting it up like the other dates.


	17. Celebration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> See what Daniel and Jisung have got planned for Seongwoo's birthday. Daniel acts like the sweetest boyfriend, because he ends up finally becoming one. Look forward to their first real kiss!

Daniel was racked by nerves again despite he was even more planned than in the previous date. He felt more pressured since it was August twenty-fifth, Ong Seongwoo's birthday, and he had decided to confess his feelings and ask Seongwoo out officially. Hopefully, everything would go well. If not, he wouldn't get a boyfriend or his first kiss, and he might even end up losing someone special to him on top of ruining his special day. You know, no pressure hahaha...

     Daniel wore the nicest clothes that he had bought the other day, pricy designers. He went and got his hair styled and even some slight make-up professionally done this morning after Jisung helped him choose a gift. He'd made reservations at a nice, private restaurant. He had bought Seongwoo this cool silver, simple cross necklace that he was secretly hoping to someday chew on to see how the mix of metal and skin tasted (he was guilty of having naughty fantasies in the shop and buying the gift with an ulterior motive). Anyway, Seongwoo seemed interested in fashion and he liked his ring so he might also like other kinds of jewelry.

     He didn't have time to go back. Instead, he went straight to where Seongwoo's dorm was. Seongwoo came down the stairs, looking like a fashion model on a runway at Paris Fashion Week or an angel stepping down from heaven. He seemed to glow with an ethereal radiance. 

     Daniel just stared at him, totally frozen in place. Time seemed to stop all around in fact, except for Seongwoo. Including his breath.

     Seongwoo jogged down the stairs with a big grin as if he was about to run into his arms. Daniel was tempted to stretch his arms wide open and lean down to catch him. Then, he'd lift him up and spin him around happily. Well, if he could with a grown man who was as tall him.

     "Daniel~!" the handsome boy called cheerfully, giggling, and bounding over gracefully like an excited child.

     He stopped right before Daniel. Then, his cheeks turned red and his smile turned more shy. "Hi..."

     Daniel smiled wide and then said brightly, "Happy birthday!"

     "Thank you, it's already my favorite birthday ever," Seongwoo giggled, chewing on his lower lip with a bashful look.

     "Can I give you your first present?" Daniel asked coyly.

     "Sure! Actually it would be my first birthday present ever. Shif...er, my...people don't really celebrate birthdays because how we count our ages is quite complicated."

      "Ah, really?" Daniel scratched his neck and looked down, feeling shy and losing some of his cool determination to be forward with his feelings even more so and progress their relationship. "Now I feel pressured...."

     Seongwoo put his open hands out in front of him. "I will love it, whatever it is if it's from you! Just give it, give it, give it~ " He insisted brightly.

      "Well, it's more of an action than something physical I can give you. Close your eyes and hold out your arms."

     "Like this?" Seongwoo made a T with his body and closed his pretty eyes.

     Daniel smiled and stepped forward, taking a deep breath and letting it out shakily as he prepared himself to embrace his crush for the first time in his life. His heart was racing and his face was hot. "Right, just like that."

     He wrapped his arms around the boy's back and pressed their chests together. It was warm, cozy, and a bit stimulating. It felt so right. Especially when Seongwoo relaxed and wrapped his arms around Daniel's neck, resting his chin on his shoulder.

     They stood like that for a full minute, neither willing to let go first. It felt so right and they both wondered why they hadn't done this immediately all the other times they met.

     My first hug with a boy I like, oh wow, it's incredible, Daniel thought.

     I can finally hug him properly and he smells so good it's making my senses all wacky, Seongwoo thought.

     Daniel patted the boy's back. "Thank you for being born this day and thank you for coming here. I'm glad that I met you. I hope I can spend the next birthday with you as well, even the next."

     Seongwoo squeezed tighter and sniffed the other's neck subtly through his shirt he was pressing his head against. Seongwoo felt like he was about to faint from dizziness and an overstimulated heart from his stronger-than-catnip drug.

     "Even if we don't do something special, it's okay. I am happy just spending the day with you. I hope we can spend every birthday together. I'm not ever leaving this country. I love it here."

     Daniel released him reluctantly. The both of them laughed shyly, their faces red and unable to look at each other in the eye right after their first intimate hug.

     "I didn't plan anything super special. Today, we're going on a very typical Korean date--um, I mean outing..."

     Seongwoo slipped his hand into Daniel's larger one, naturally linking their fingers together which felt incredibly amazing as always. He tugged him and started walking down the sidewalk. Daniel was rather surprised because there were quite a few students out on the courtyard and passing through the building. It seemed like Seongwoo didn't care about being found out and bullied anymore.

     What about me? Am I ready to face that fear with him head on? Am I brave enough?

     A large part of him was tempted to hide it, but that was more out of force of habit. He was worried about being stared at, judged, and bullied. But he also knew that people here were open-minded and it would take a lot more than this for people to assume he was gay. He looked like a straight, typical, masculine guy from Busan, and anyway, people in Korea were usually affectionate with their friends. He saw guys holding hands and patting each other playfully on the butt all the time.

       Daniel didn't want to hide anything with Seongwoo. He didn't think Seongwoo deserved that. The most perfect guy in the world wanted to spend time with him and hold his hand, so why on earth would he want to hide that? Wherever the bullies were, he'd give them a nice punch in the face before they could harm Seongwoo or interfere on their perfect date.

     "Let's go. And I want to call it a date," Seongwoo told him sweetly.

      Seongwoo knew now that a 'date' was when two people who liked each other went out to test their compatibility for matehood. Or it was also when mates went out to do something romantic or fun. Anyway, calling it an 'outing' lost some of the intimacy he wanted to experience with Daniel. He wanted to be more than friends, he wanted to be mates that did all the things other human couples did.

       That's what Seongwoo was thinking when he held hands with Daniel. Seongwoo wanted to let Daniel know somehow that he was ready for more and he was interested in him romantically. He wanted Daniel to know he was waiting to go to the next step in the coupling process, whatever that would be. For cat shifters, it would be... bathing each other? Something like that. He chuckled as he imagined them licking each other's arms. That kind of thing certainly hadn't shown up on the human mating videos.

      Daniel smiled brightly and squeezed Seongwoo's hand back. "We're going to eat first. Then we're going to see fireworks."

      "Something with fire? I'm kind of scared of fire..."

      They walked down the sidewalk, ignoring the occasional onlooking, picture-snapping fan girls. Daniel didn't feel like pretending to be his manager today. He decided that he would only do that when there was a crowd threatening the safety of his precious baby.

       "It's not the kind of fire you're thinking of. They shoot some colored fire into the sky and it makes all these pretty shapes. It's not dangerous or hot at all. You will like it."

     "What's the plan after that?"

      "Just going to go sing at a norebang. You haven't ever been, right?"

      "Wow, they have a room here where you can sing?" he asked excitedly.

     Seongwoo was tempted to tell him to go there first and if it was really fun, he wouldn't mind doing that all day, but he didn't want to be rude since the boy had planned out a course for the date already. He decided to just go along with whatever the boy wanted to do as, actually, Daniel seemed really good at guessing what he would like before he had even considered it. It showed that one, Daniel understood him really well and two, that Daniel took extra care to observe and care about him. Daniel never once was selfish. He was the sweetest person ever.

     When they got out on the street and there were not too many students around, Seongwoo kissed Daniel's cheek.

     "What was that for?" Daniel asked in surprise, but he certainly wasn't complaining because that felt exceptionally nice.

     He touched the spot where the soft, holy lips had blessed his skin with their presence and he was sure he was resembling a strawberry right now. His heart was out of control just from that peck since it was totally out of the blue and so sweet. Not that Seongwoo did anything that wasn't sweet and unexpected. He was a heart attack on a pair of fine, and he did mean fine, legs.

     Seongwoo shrugged. "I was just thinking you look cute, so I wanted to give your mole some treatment. And look at that~ You're even cuter when you're red! Like a tomato. I should do it again later," he teased with a laugh and a tiny, playful smirk. 

     Daniel covered his face and laughed nervously. Seongwoo was planning on killing him. Now he was aware of his affect on him and he was purposely making it worse. Seongwoo knew that kisses and compliments from him turned him red and he enjoyed doing it and even teasing him. He was getting closer to learning Seongwoo's true character. Apparently, he was funny, carefree, positive, and quite mischievious on top of the other tons of good qualities he'd noted in his lengthening list.

     "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm always like this."

    "Only when you're around me," he teased, shoving their shoulders together.

    Daniel jokingly rolled his eyes. "Whatever. You're so wrong. I have um...a lot of allergies."

     "Sure you do..." Seongwoo drawled sarcastically, then giggled behind his hand.

     Daniel watched him from the corner of his eye, though he was pretending to be indifferent because the proper way to flirt was to play the push and pull game. Seongwoo was pretty good at it naturally but Daniel was being much too obvious, always being the one that was pulled and not doing enough of the pulling himself.

     Does it make sense that someone can be so attractive from just laughing?

     Seongwoo loved the way Daniel looked when his face grew red in embarassment. He loved even more when he was the cause of it. Daniel was, as he predicted, easily affected by kisses, compliments, and skinship. He planned to use it a lot.

     He wanted to make Daniel feel good today as a reward for so painstakingly planning this date and for worrying about his sickness. He felt fine now. The symptoms from his heat wave didn't show up so much in his human form. When he had them before, he always changed into his human form despite his parent's lectures.

     As a cat, when he had his heat waves, it released a smell that made female cats crazy. Cats when they had their heat, especially males, became twice or three times more attractive, depending on if the day fell on a full moon or not by chance. He hated all the attention and the females got more forceful at that time. He had to be rather mean since reasoning with them didn't work well at that time. The pheromones he was releasing drove them crazy pretty much, not that he could argue females were usually sane to begin with. He wasn't sure if humans would be more attracted to him as well at this time but Daniel seemed pretty normal so he didn't think so.

 

 

     Daniel was having a hell of a time ordering food after they got to the restaurant. He couldn't concentrate on anything. Seongwoo was sitting across from him, looking over the menu. He licked his lips often as he drooled over the pictures. Daniel rubbed his eyes and shook his head frantically but ended up staring again.

     Seongwoo somehow seemed twice as attractive today. No, attractive wasn't the right word. He was always handsome in a pretty way. But usually he was just so...cute. Today, however, he was sexy, sexy as hell. It was making him have all of these naughty fantasies.

     Seongwoo's skin seemed paler and it was glistening and wet with slight sweat. His shirt slipped down to reveal more and more of his yummy looking collar bone and the mole he had kissed on his chest the last date. The angle that he tilted his head which showed off his beautiful profile, the way he bit his lip, the way he gulped even, the way his fingers stretched gently across the plastic menu sheet, his relaxed yet graceful posture-- it was all suggestive and reminded him of his dirty dreams. He could picture Seongwoo stripping off his shirt, seductively climbing on the table, and laying his bare chest in front of him like a bug tuna, moaning huskily in his sweet, airy voice, 'your order of raw Ong Seongwoo is here, please dig in and enjoy slowly~'

     Daniel bit back a groan as the boy unconsciously stroked his finger on the menu, blinked those long eyelashes against his sharp cheekbones, and slipped his tongue over his lips, leaving them wet, glossy, and rosier.

     Oh god, how I want him. I want to throw him on this table right now and kiss him senseless. He wasn't sure if Seongwoo was doing it on purpose, but if he was, he was excellent at the art of seducing, enough to be a porn star already. How could a total virgin bring him to his knees with yearning and yet seem like he wasn't doing a bit of it purposefully?

     Seongwoo looked up with a huge, innocent grin and pointed to a picture. "Let's get this."

     He had chosen a set with the most food options included. Daniel knew not to question him about the amount by now. Seongwoo could eat almost as much as he did(which was a hell of a lot considering when he wasn't on a diet, he usually ate three bowls of rice daily).

    "It's hot so be careful when you eat it," the waiter explained when he brought out the large plates of food.

   "Let's wait a bit. Don't want to scald your tongue. It will be hard to sing," he suggested just as Seongwoo was impatiently reaching out to grab some food.

     "Meat meat meat, I love meat. I wanna eat you but you're still hot, so I have to wait but just hold on guys. I'm going to sculp you all down~" he sang to some random tune as he gazed at the food hungrily.

     "Sculf," Daniel corrected gently, smiling with affection at him as he danced and gazed excitedly at the steaming, sweet smelling meat in front of them.

     Oh, he's childishly cute again, thank god. At least I can handle that.

      "How do I eat it?" Seongwoo asked a few minutes later of impatiently dancing in his chair, staring at the meat and sniffing the wafting, savory fumes.

     "You should use chopsticks."

     "Ah..." He looked like his whole world had come crashing down. Then, he scratched his neck and laughed in embarrassment. "Honestly, uh... I don't know how to use those chewy sticks..."

     "Chopsticks," he gently corrected, moving over to the seat next to Seongwoo in order to assist him as he taught him.

     Seongwoo's heart raced and he beamed, looking down at the table a bit shyly. He was excited to have Daniel close to him, though he had also loved being able to steal looks at his handsome owner so easily while he was in front.

     "I will teach you how. Give me your hand."

     Daniel held the back of Seongwoo's hand, stuffing the chopsticks between his fingers. "You need to grip with your fingers like this and move these ones up and down. Try with me until you get used to it."

     Daniel opened and closed his hand with still, steady fingers. Seongwoo concentrated hard, moving the metal sticks close together and then further apart together, ignoring the warm, tingling feeling that went through him whenever they touched.

     Daniel wasn't able to ignore the feeling as easily. He stared at the pretty boy who only got prettier somehow the closer you looked at him. He studied him, blushing furiously and chewing at his lip as he was attacked by feelings and fantasies. The boy looked even more attractive when he was serious and focused like this. His pretty eyes half closed, his kissable, shapely mouth slightly slackened, his dark long eyebrows drawn into a V shape.

     Daniel wanted terribly to plant a kiss between those furry lines. He wanted to put his finger between those lips. He wanted to hold those hands tight. He wanted to lick that bead of sweat dropping down his forehead. It was like he had this magical effect that was making him in danger of losing control.

     "Ah, I've got it I think!" Seongwoo exclaimed, his expression brightening.

     Daniel smiled proudly, glad for a distraction from his wayward, dirty thoughts. Seongwoo was such a quick learner. He found that appealing as well.

     "Let's try it on some food."

     He led Seongwoo's hands to the bowl of meat and showed him how to clasp the piece of brown, squiggly meat between the ends of the metal sticks, and steadily pull it up, then put it down. Seongwoo tried a couple of more times to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Then, Daniel reluctantly let go so he could try by himself to learn properly.

     "Look Daniel, I did it!" Seongwoo said brightly, his whole face lit up with his pretty, round eyes popped open.

     He was proudly holding a piece of dangling, wavy meat high above the bowl, having sucessfully grabbed it all on his own. Oh, that expression is new, it's so adorable, Daniel thought, smiling naturally in response.

     "Oh, nice job. Try to bring it to your mouth. Nice and slow, keep your grip steady." 

     Seongwoo put all of his focus, brow furrowing and shapely lips frowning, into moving the meat towards him without dropping it. He wanted to impress Daniel with his quick learning skills and be highly praised with a hair ruffle like when he was able to ride the bike on his own. It was a slow, painful process with his hand shaking and his wrist slightly aching from maintaining the same pinched position over the metal sticks which dug into his fingers a bit.

     Eventually, Seongwoo got it over his head and dropped it into his mouth. He chewed happily and swung his body back and forth in a little dance at how sweet and savory the meat was. He had never had meat like this and it tasted even better because he was able to get it using human tools all on his own. Daniel ruffled his hair. Seongwoo looked over to see his face shining with pride and affection, his eyes scrunched up cutely.

     "Great job, Seongwoo. You're really incredible. Such a quick learner. How is it? Do you like it?"

     Seongwoo nodded in delight, though half of it was not from the sweet, succelent taste of the meat but from Daniel's affectionate gesture and loving gaze. "Iwoveit!"

     "You love it? Good to hear. When your hand is tired, let me know. I will feed you until you're full."

     Seongwoo blushed at the thought. He liked it a lot when Daniel fed him but it also kind of made him feel like a kid. Daniel moved to the other side of the table again and started eating. He taught Seongwoo the names of all the sidedishes, what they were made of, how they were often used in Korean food and how to eat them. Seongwoo didn't even ask.

     He's so kind, selfless, and caring. He spends more time doing things for me and making sure I'm happy and comfortable than anything he does for himself. I care for him so much, how could I not when he's so nice like this?

     "Thank you, but I'm not a kid, you know. My hands don't hurt enough to need feeding yet..." Seongwoo explained bashfully when Daniel kept putting sidedishes and meat into his ricebowl or mouth with his own chopsticks.

     Danie put a napkin to the corner of the shifter's mouth and wiped, smiling in a sweet, caring way.

     "In Korea, we don't just do this for children. Couples and close friends do it too. It's a sign of affection. I would only do this for someone I care about."

     "You care about me?" Seongwoo repeated hopefully, feeling touched and the butterflies in his stomach fluttering slightly. 

     "Yes, I care a lot about you," he said honestly.

     Seongwoo coughed as he swallowed too big of an onion. Daniel cares about me! He is doing something sweet and couply with me. Is he suggesting we be mates? Please say that's what it means~

     After that, it was hard to eat for both of them since they were blushing and feeling awkward. It was hard to get the food to go down when they were so happy yet embarassed they were on the verge of squealing.

 

 

     Daniel offered the boy his arm when they got to the train platform.  "You're still scared right?" He said kindly.

      Seongwoo wasn't really anymore, but he wanted any excuse to touch Daniel some more because that brief moment holding hands sort of in the restaurant hadn't been enough. Good thing he had his acting skills at his disposal. He bit his lip and pretended to look scared and shiver when the train came, slipping his hands around Daniel's solid, strong arm.

     "You okay? Get closer," Daniel pulled him close with worry, so they were touching side by side on the train seats.

     Seongwoo put his head on the other boy's shoulder, delighted when Daniel let him since they'd never done that, and then even more delighted when Daniel pet his hair and whispered to him.

     "If you're feeling ill, take a nap. We're going to be on this train for thirty minutes."

     Seongwoo yawned and closed his eyes, snuggling closer. His big shoulder made a comfy pillow. He squeezed his arm and took a short catnap. Ah, this is heaven. I don't need anything else. I could just stay like this forever.

     As the boy slept, Daniel stole glances at him, brushed his hair, stroked his pointy nose and dipped cheeks. He thought about stealing a kiss but there were other people in the cart and he didn't want to make them uncomfortable or subject Seongwoo to judgemental stares or glares when he woke up. It was his birthday.

      He's so beautiful when he's sleeping. Like a peaceful, holy angel. My heart is racing terribly, can he feel it? My body feels so nice where he touches me, all warm and tingly in a pleasant way. What would life be like for me if I he was my mate, I mean boyfriend? I bet I would be in a state of bliss every day.

     Daniel imagined going on dates every day or studying together in his room, holding hands and cuddling like this every day, and kissing those pretty lips whenever he wanted to. How I wouldn't give anything to kiss him as I pleased. I've only been with him an hour and I've wanted to kiss him a hundred times about. 

     Daniel sighed and laid his head back against the window. So close yet so far, his precious Seongwoo. This was pure torture. He couldn't wait until they were in a place alone, but he still had hours to wait and then, unless he could get the mood just right and work up the courage in his cowardly body, he wouldn't be able to get his first kiss today. 

 

 

     "Seongwoo... Seongwoo...Wake up, we're here..."

     Seongwoo heard a soft, deep voice that danced around inside his head and seemed to fill him with warmth. Daniel was shaking his shoulder and talking to him.

     "Wake up, the doors are opened..."

     Seongwoo yawned and rubbed his hands over his eyes. Daniel pulled him up and helped him out of the train just before the doors came, warning him to watch his feet at the gap of course. He went to a vending machine and bought some banana milk.

     Seongwoo yawned again and stretched his sore body out. "Oh, that was a nice nap."

     Daniel chuckled. "Yeah, apparently. Just look at my shirt. You drooled on it."

     Seongwoo looked at where he'd laid on and there was a wet spot. "Oh my gosh, so sorry!"

     He wiped the spot with his sleeves and blew hot air on it, trying to dry it off. "Let's go buy you a new shirt."

     "No, don't worry about it. There's worse things than some drool. If it's yours, I don't really mind. Here, drink this. I got your favorite. It will wake you up."

     He took the yellow, plastic barrel he was very familar with. It had a straw stuck through the top. He put it to his lips and sucked gratefully. Wow, he's sure good at sucking, what I wouldn't give to be that staw, if I could replace it with something I'd definitely put in my....

     Daniel shook his head furiously, forcing his fantasy to stop right there. This was the sweet boy's birthday. He needed to focus on keeping him fully happy. He couldn't get distracted by perverted thoughts today, no matter how unusually irresistible he was appearing. Seongwoo needed...something funny.

     He mimicked the commercial. Seongwoo bit on the staw and chuckled. Great, yummy banana milk and a once in a lifetime comedy show from my silly, handsome owner~ This must be another present! Daniel loved the way his eyes scrunched up and a dimple appeared on his rosy cheeks. Seongwoo sucked the last bit out and licked his lips a few times to get the last yummy drops off. Daniel stopped himself from just barely throwing up his hands and screaming in frustration.

      And there is that all kill move of his. He just had to go and do it today of all days and I had to go ahead and literally give him ammunition to kill me with. What did I ever do to you God? Why did you send me someone so tortuous that I'm likely to die before I even get the chance to be with him once? How is he possibly this ridiculously seductive without even knowing it? There must be a graveyard and a hospital full of Ong Seongwoo attack victims somewhere.

     "All done. Thanks. I feel much better!" Seongwoo danced cutely over to the trashcan and performed a playful flashy dunk like a basketball player.

     Daniel clapped for him, joining in on his game. They both laughed, then headed up the stairs towards the exits.

     "Where are we going?"

     "Well, it's almost dark so we're right on time. We're going to see fireworks on a cruise boat."

     "Oh that sounds cool. I've never..."

     "Been on a boat?" Daniel finished his sentence suggestively.

     Seongwoo nodded, liking that Daniel was finally reading his mind a bit better in his human body like he could with his cat body. It seemed it was a bit harder to read and judge his expressions in his human body. Or maybe he was just lazier about sending signals.

     "I figured. Today, like the other days we went out, I planned lots of things I figured are a first for you. It's like another present."

     "Wow, so great! How many presents am I going to get today? I feel so blessed!"

     Daniel took his hand to pull him up the stairs and get out of the way of some people rushing down. He wanted to protect his crush from getting bumped or twisting a leg.

     "Several," he replied brightly.

     Already Seongwoo knew of three, and he pondered excitedly just how many more there would be. They just seemed to be getting better. The sweet hug, the delicious food, and the ton of skinship, now a boat ride and fireworks experience. What could possibly top all that?

     A kiss, that's what. A real kiss. Daniel, please tell me you finally have a real kiss planned for me. I don't need any other present if I have that.

 

 

     They had to go to a building and then wait in line for the cruise. Daniel kept Seongwoo amused by telling him the history of fireworks, how they were made, and the special uses for them. Apparently, they were very common in beach cities like his hometown. Seongwoo found it fascinating, wondering when Daniel had found all of this time to plan research and memorize.

     Was it when he was taking his nap yesterday? Since he had felt sick from being in heat, he had slept a lot. The playing had sucked out the rest of his energy. His nap had been much longer than normal and he didn't recall Daniel joining him on the bed. Daniel must have stayed up all night. That put him in a whole new light in Seongwoo's eyes, he couldn't help smiling gratefully at his owner now.

     He's such a sweetheart, always going above and beyond for me. I couldn't hope to find a better person to be my mate.

     Daniel took his hand again while they climbed aboard the boat. He was worried the boy would be scared like he had on the train. "Are you okay? I know you said your people are afraid of water. We don't have to go near the edge..."

     Seongwoo shook his head, insisting, "I like the water. Remember, I'm the odd duck in my family. This isn't scary. Let's go right to the edge! I want to feel the wind and smell the sea."

     He pulled Daniel out the door to the front of the ship. They went to the railing and looked over in the water. Daniel put his arm around Seongwoo's waist in case he slipped and fell overboard, recalling he couldn't swim.

     "Don't climb up or lean too far over," he warned gently.

     Seongwoo obediently took his foot off the railing where he had indeed foolishly been about to climb up. It was a habit from his cat days, he just loved climbing up on things, the higher the better. It was ironic the risk taker would stop him from doing something dangerous though. He looked down at the blue, swishing water happily. He could even see some fish that he excitedly pointed out to Daniel. Then, he pretended to catch it with his hands bent into paws.

     Ah, right, I"m human now. Can't go fishing...

     The sun was setting when the cruise left. They looked out over the horizon, feeling the chilly wind on their faces, tousling their blond and dark brown locks. Daniel pointed out the landmarks he knew and whatever random facts he knew about them.

     Seongwoo shivered as the wind was strong and the temperature a lot chillier here at night.

     "Are you cold? Here." Daniel took out a jacket from his backpack and put it over him, his hands rubbing over his arms.

     Seongwoo scooted back into his chest, enjoying the warmth.

     Is he giving me a sign? Would it be okay to hug him? No one's here, so it would be the perfect chance...But I don't want to misunderstand and then make things awkward...

     Take a hint Daniel. I'm cold, no one's here. Hug me again like you did earlier, nice and tight, cozy and loving. I've been missing it. I wish he'd hug me. If he hugs me, it means he likes me. Please hug me, please like me, please say you want to be my mate...

     Daniel spent an agonizing minute pondering what he should do and Seongeoo spent the time anxiously waiting, holding onto a slim sliver of hope. Seongwoo almost gasped when two strong yet gentle arms finally slipped around his chest and pulled him close.

     Daniel coughed close to his ear and fake shivered. "Brr, now I'm cold because I gave up my jacket."

     "Sorry, you better get closer before you catch a cold," Seongwoo murmured, trying to hide a big smile and stop his racing heart but he failed.

     Daniel was grinning hugely as well and his face was flushed which Seongwoo fortunately couldn't see. They hugged even after the sun had set, both reluctant to let go and scared to talk in case that caused the other to feel they needed to break this perfect spell.

     "Omo!"

     There was a sudden boom and a flash of blue light in the sky, making Seongwoo jump and shout. He turned around and hid against Daniel's chest, covering his sensitive ears. Daniel held him gently and pet the back of his head in sweet comfort.

     What on earth is that? A bomb? A gun? I'm scared!

     "It's just the fireworks, Seongwoo. They started. I know they're noisy but it won't hurt you. Look, they're really pretty, you're missing it."

     Seongwoo jumped as more booms and crackles sounded, burrowing further into Daniel's chest. Daniel pat his back and encouraged him to look and several seconds later he dared to take a peak.

     Daniel studied Seongwoo's face the moment he saw his first fireworks, sensing that sight would be much more beautiful and entertaining. Seongwoo looked up at the sky with the most amazed, radiant expression of delight. His face was glowing red, green, gold, and purple from the lights of the fireworks.

      "It's beautiful!" Seongwoo gasped.

     "The most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Daniel agreed, though they were discussing two totally different things.

     Daniel considered taking that sculpted, gorgeous face in his hands, turning it and pressing their lips together because this was clearly the perfect moment. But before he had a chance, there was a crowd coming out to watch the fireworks. Instead, he grabbed the railing and watched the flower like shapes blossoming in the area with various colors overlapping each other. Seongwoo seemed to be enjoying it luckily, even though he still jerked a bit at the bigger booms.

      Seongwoo was in love with this, only the second thing next to Daniel. It was the most incredible sight. It was like pure magic. Seongwoo noticed Daniel was next to him and his hand was next to his on the railing. He slid his hand over to rest on top of Daniel's. The handsome boy turned to him, his face lit up in various colors and his hair coolly windswept. He is breathtaking like that. They shared a warm smile.

      "This is wonderful Daniel. Thank you for the present."

      "There's more," he promised with a secretive, crooked grin that made Seongwoo slightly swoon on a pair of weak knees.

     Could he be any handsomer? Stupid people! This would be the perfect moment to hug him and kiss his mole gratefully. He could only touch his hand since he knew now humans weren't supposed to do that with a crowd around. Daniel flipped his hand over first, as if he was reading his mind. They stepped a bit closer and linked their fingers together. Then, they both smiled up at the fireworks again, their faces stained with extra coloring.

     He's still wearing my ring, Daniel noticed. That makes me feel fantastic. It was a good idea to give it to him though it had been an impulsive one. It's like in a way, he's mine. That's wonderful too. 

 

 

     "That was so fun!" Seongwoo said as they walked out of the building.

     He was bustling with energy now, having been really excited and enjoying everything.

     "Yes, it was. But the fun isn't over yet. We're going to sing," Daniel replied with an amused grin.

     "Yes, finally going singing!" Seongwoo started jumping and dancing around him in a silly childlike way, long limbs flailing, pert bum shaking.

     Daniel laughed but continued to walk, sure the guy would follow him. He sure is excited about singing. I can't wait to hear more of his voice. It had sounded amazing just from his occasional unconscious humming.

     Daniel was a bit self-conscious about his own voice. He could rap well but he wasn't good at singing high notes. He had made a list of songs he already knew Seongwoo knew so they could sing and jump around together. Then, he had jotted down some songs that he knew were in his vocal range. Hopefully he wouldn't embarass himself. That's the last thing he wanted to do.

      When they got in, Daniel paid for two hours, some snacks, and drinks. Seongwoo wandered around the building and inside the dark, strobe lit room, curiously checking and touching everything. Sometimes, Daniel swore he even saw him taste and smell things. That was just what his cat did when he first went somewhere new, oddly enough.

     He set down the things they'd need on the table, like mics, and the song book, the controller, and the tambourines. Then, he sat and watched the other with a similar affectionate, endearing smile he'd had at the cat cafe. Why were Seongwoos on this earth so unique and enchanting?

     "So how does it all work? We just sing in this room as music plays from the TV?"

     Daniel laughed and motioned him over. "Not quite. Come here and I'll explain everything before we get started."

     Daniel explained about the equipment and taught Seongwoo how to use it. Then, he showed him how to select songs. He put all of the songs he'd written the numbers down for first and then looked up a few more Seongwoo had said he wanted to sing. They did a bunch of fun songs first. They both, rather than just sitting and singing, liked to dance, jump around, and make noise with the tambourine. Cute Seongwoo thought it was a hat at first and he'd nearly gotten it stuck on his head trying to wear it.

     They started sweating and they were panting, breathless from singing, and laughing at each other being total crazy fools. They stopped occasionally to drink some soda and eat a snack to quell their grumbling bellies. Seongwoo made Daniel crack up laughing by doing the Gashina dance and singing with his traditional instrument voice. Daniel made Seongwoo giggle by singing some Twice songs and doing the cutsey feminine dance. They both were a bit humiliated and shyly covered their faces with their hands or arms or running to the corner and banging on the walls after doing things like that.

      Then, they sat down as Seongwoo's songs came up. They were a calm choice with a pretty sweet melody. Daniel sat down in front of Seongwoo, excited to have a front row seat at the first ever Ong Seongwoo concert. He was a fanboy even before Seongwoo softly hummed his first note, his eyes focused only straight forward at the TV. Seongwoo liked to sing balad songs. When he sang them, he got really into it. He closed his eyes and his face was expressively sad, his brows furrowing and releasing and furrowing again, his head shaking and lifting up like he was lost in the emotional lyrics.

     Daniel was mesmerized by his voice as well. It was clear, full, sweet, and resonating. He could hit an amazing range of pitches with total ease. The sound of his high notes filled him with happiness and then seemed to explode out of his body into every corner of the room so the entire space was filled with a pure, raw, emotional sound.

     Daniel smiled shyly, waving his arms and spinning around in his chair, feeling so extremely happy listening to him that he didn't know what to do with himself. He had so much bottled feelings he felt like he had to move unless it exploded out of him, filling the room with confetti, fireworks, marshmallows, stuffed animals and a million other loveable things. He didn't think it was possible for him to crush any harder on Seongwoo at this point. But his voice was apparently fatal.

     Daniel slipped out, telling Seongwoo he had to go to the bathroom and he should keep on singing. He went next door and picked up the cake he had pre-ordered, some candles, matches, and a set of party hats. When he went into the room, Seongwoo was just finishing another song. Seongwoo was happy to see Daniel and started clapping excitedly at the presents.

     "Happy birthday, Seongwoo," he said putting several triangle hats in a sparkly, pointy, colorful tower on the boy's head.

     Then, he put the candles on the cake, lit it, and sang a birthday song over the machine. Seongwoo didn't know the song but waved his arms along and beamed happily as Daniel awkwardly sang.

     "This is your last present." He took out a box and slid it across the table.

     Seongwoo eagerly opened it and his face went into a little O and his eyes bugged out. He glanced beween Daniel and the box several times, not saying anything and maintaining that strange, shocked expression. Daniel was anxious, not sure if it was a good reaction or not. Inside the box was a simple silver cross pendant on a silver chain. 

     "Is this okay for me to have? It seems too nice!" Seongwoo asked worriedly.

     He was concerned for one, how much money thi had cost, and for two, where he would hide it when he was in cat form, so he'd never lose it yet it also wouldn't be discovered by the humans he lived with.

     "You deserve nice things, Seongwoo. On birthdays, we usually give lots of things like this. Sorry I could only get you this. I only had enough leftover money from my old part time dance teaching job to pay for dinner, the cruise, the cake and norebang. Sorry. Next birthday, I will get you several more cool gifts."

     "No, you don't need to. This is more than enough. More than I even deserve. You are the sweetest guy ever, planning all these terrific surprises. Thank you so much!"

      Seongwoo rubbed his neck and stuck out his tongue with embarrassment as he got teary eyed. This was really meaningful as shifters had never once celebrated anything. He had never even heard congratulations on his numerous birthdays and shifters weren't into giving presents often either. This was extremely meaningful and exciting for him. He stood up and tackled Daniel with a big hug.

      "This is the best day ever, thank you, thank you!" He said hoarsely.

     Daniel patted his back and squeezed him close. He was pleased the date had gone well and his first real present to another boy he liked had been well received. They both pushed their faces into the other's chest and relished the warm, tingly, heart racing contact. Then, Daniel took the box, removed the necklace, and put it around the boy's neck. Seongwoo caressed it and looked down at it with a shy, pleased grin.

     "This is the best present ever. I really love it, Daniel..." He said with a choked up voice.

     Daniel smiled in satisfaction, giving himself a little clap for having correctly guessed the boy's taste all on his own. Well, mostly. Jisung had agreed it was nice.

      "Good, because it's the main. Now let's eat some cake!"

     It was chocolate cake decorated with mint and white colored frosting flowers and pieces of fruit. Daniel cut a piece and fed him with the plastic fork. Seongwoo sat back down in the chair across from him and accepted the brown dessert with an enthusiastically open wide mouth. He hummed, stomped his feet, and wiggled his head, as usual expressing how much he liked the cake with his entire body.

     "How is it?" Daniel grinned affectionately.

     "You just have to try it, I can't explain. It's the most amazing cake ever."

     Seongwoo took the fork and took a piece, planning to feed the other.

     "Eh, you're just saying that since I bought it especially for you," he teased, excited at being fed for the second time by someone he liked.

     Seongwoo gently pushed it towards him, cupping his hand under the fork in case it spilled. Daniel flushed, knowing he was looking straight at his mouth. The cake was really superb. Seongwoo hadn't actually been exaggerating. It was rich creamy chocolate, but not too sweet like many cakes were.

      They happily took turns feeding each other and sharing silly grins and chuckles. They both had a tendency to do some dorky dance when they were fully content and delighted. Daniel recalled what Jisung had instructed to do next. A romantic melody played as he swiped some cream and put it on Seongwoo's chin.

     "Yah!" Seongwoo wiped it off, ate it, and then retaliated with a cream swipe to his nose.

     They chased each other around the room with fingers full of chocolate cream. Then, Daniel cradled his face after he'd sat down and put some frosting on the corner of his mouth and bottom lip. Seongwoo glared at him in mock frustration, then giggled. Daniel leaned closer, looking down hungrily at his lips, still holding his jaw. His face looked serious and soft.

     Eh, Daniel? What's going on? Why are you looking at me like that? Are you finally....

     Seongwoo suddenly ceased breathing, stilled, gulped, and turned red. He didn't move because he thought he knew for sure what was happening. Daniel was going to finally kiss him. The TV played the sweet love song that Daniel had chosen at Jisung's suggestion exactly for this moment. He inched slowly closer, his heart racing and his breath stopped as well.

      He was really going to do this? Yes, he really was. What was Seongwoo thinking? Well, he seemed to sense this coming and he hadn't stopped it or moved away, which was a good sign.

     Daniel aimed for the frosting at the corner of Seongwoo's sweeter looking mouth. He slowly licked it off, then gently kissed the wet spot he left behind. Seongwoo closed his eyes and sharply inhaled, his nails digging into the seat cushion.

     More, more, don't tease, that's not enough, he begged, a soft whimper escaping. It reached Daniel's ears and egged him on.

     Yes, oh yes. He likes it. He wants me to kiss him more. Hang on a second, precious baby. I'm going to kiss you properly in one second.

     Oh my gosh, my first kiss is just seconds away. I can barely contain myself. I hope that I do it right. Seongwoo still hadn't breathed yet and his heart was out of control, seeming faster than even the beats of the background music.

     This time, Daniel brushed his thumb along the silky skin of the boy's jaw, diving for the frosting on the bottom of his lips. He licked it off, their noses just brushing, making him feel terribly nervous to the point his hands were shaking and he held his breath. He almost was tempted to chicken out from the pressure. He wanted to be a good kisser but he wasn't sure it was possible. He had tried practicing on a pillow and he studied some tutorial videos but the info all seemed to fly out the window as he was faced with the real thing. Strange how something supposedly blissful he had been dreaming of since he was in elementary school now seemed terrifying.

      Please, please, why are you making me wait so long, Daniel? Don't change your mind. I'm desperately for this. I'm beyond ready. I want you to kiss me for real tonight. Please, please, please....Seongwoo dug his nails in harder, squeezing his eyes shut as he waited impatiently for the kiss to happen. Daniel was still touching him and he could sense the human's warmth at a very close proximity and smell his cologne. He was  close yet hesitating to approach the rest of the way.

     Just do it. There's never going to be a better time. Weren't you determined that it had to be today? At this rate, you're going to be friend-zoned. You've hid your feelings long enough. You're going to do this. Stop worrying about if he will like it or not and just go while the mood's still right before you lose your chance.

     Daniel tipped Seongwoo's chin up and slightly twisted his head to get a good angle. Then, he gently, slowly lowered his lips and pressed them directly onto the middle of the other's. Both boys exhaled and sank into the kiss after the initial contact with a pleased, satisfied hum, their skin tingling all over, their faces heating, their blood rushing from their lack of breath and overworking hearts.

     He's kissing me! This is a real human kiss. It feels more amazing than anything we've tried so far. And this means the world to me. I know it now. Daniel likes me. Kissing on the lips is the most meaningful kiss, that's what he told me. It's different than treatment kisses. Daniel is letting me know that he cares about me and likes me. He's letting me know that we're mates. Oh, my heart! Don't jump out of my body yet~

     I'm kissing him. Shit, I am actually kissing Ong Seongwoo, the most perfect being in the universe! It feels so good, so sweet, so right. I can sense our feelings and the intense attraction running through our connected lips. Oh god, I want so much more. I shouldn't scare him though. He's new to these things. He didn't understand even a simple kiss. I should take it one step at a time. Just a few seconds more though, please. I've waited for so long and it's more perfect than I ever imagined. I'm in total heaven. Oh my Seongwoo, how much I love you, how tasty you are.

     Daniel kissed him several more times very light, sweet, and innocent. Seongwoo leaned forward and put his lips out, also seeming eager for extended contact.

 

 

      Daniel forced himself to pull back a few seconds later, his senses a total mess, his entire body hot and sweaty from the nerves and excitement.

     "Just so you know, Seongwoo, this time is not a treatment kiss. That was one of those mouth to mouth meaningful kisses we discussed before. I'm kissing you because I like you. This is also me saying I want to be your mate," Daniel whispered nearby his lips after breaking the sweet kiss with a slight smacking sound, taking a brave chance to glance at the boy for the first time since this monumental event started.

     Seongwoo had his eyes closed, his cheeks pink and his neck pressed forward eagerly. The long lashed, pale lids opened, revealing a set of large, dark, pretty eyes full of bliss and affection. Daniel sighed softly, feeling as if his insides were melted butter the second he saw that endearing look. It told him everything he needed to know. Seongwoo liked him a lot and he had intensely enjoyed their first kiss too.

     "I know what this kiss means. I want to be your boyfriend, if I'm worthy enough to be your first."

     Daniel chuckled. "Aw, that's the cool line I should have used. Scene stealer," he teased.

     "What do you mean?" Seongwoo tilted his head with a confused look.

     "Never mind..." Daniel couldn't explain something trivial with his boyfriend (can you believe it, I have a boyfriend!) acting so adorable and looking so sweet and kissable currently.

     He pulled the boy by the back of his head into a slightly more urgent, firm second kiss. Oh, I get another one? I wasn't expecting more than one, what a perfect day, what an amazing mate I have~ Seongwoo inhaled and hummed, then shifted his mouth, relaxing into the comfortable, natural feeling. They maintained the contact for several amazing seconds. Daniel was then worried the other wasn't about to breathe properly, so he sat back. He put his hands on his lap and looked down, scratching at a hole in his jeans. 

     "Um...How was that...?" Daniel asked hesitantly, his face flushed and chewing on his smiling lip.

   Seongwoo giggled under his hand, looking down shyly at the cake with his face also flaming. "It was great. I was really curious what a real kiss was like. Best present ever..."

     They sat there for awhile awkwardky both of them overflowing with happiness.

     "Daniel..." Seongwoo put his hand on his arm to get his attention. I am sure I know what this means, but part of me won't believe it until I actually hear it from him. No, that's not right. I just want to hear it.

     "Hmm?" Daniel looked at him for a second and then looked back down.

      Ah, I'm so embarrassed now. What am I supposed to do after a first kiss and confessing? I never thought this far, how stupid of me. Jisung didn't give me any pointers for this part either.

     "This means we're officially dating right? That's what you call it when you agree to be mates, as I understand."

     Daniel nodded, his cheeks flushing further, and his head ducked down. Ah, I don't think I have the courage to say it out loud. How should I respond? "Hmm-hmm."

     Seongwoo giggled excitedly. "Close your eyes. I have a present for you."

     His heart started racing again as Seongwoo put his hands over his face and kissed his nose. He inhaled sharply, biting back a moan as Seongwoo innocently and sweetly kissed random spots all around his face which acted like portals straight to his loins as he was full of desire. He was stimulated to the tenth degree in several seconds.

     "Seongwoo, woah, wait, stop!" He exclaimed in a panic as he lost grip on his steel self-control, jumping back as his body started heating up.

     Seongwoo pouted, looking rejected. "Why? I thought you liked kisses. Now that we're official, I thought we could do it whenever we wanted. I want to express that I like you by being affectionate. I want to make you happy."

     Why doesn't Daniel want to kiss me? I must have done something wrong the second time. I don't know enough about kissing yet. Maybe I was supposed to be more enthusiastic? Or was it that I was too enthusiastic too soon?

     Daniel felt terrible. What a stupid thing he'd done. He sat down and took Seongwoo's hand in his.

     "Seongwoo, no that's not it. Of course I like it and we can definitely do it," he apologized.

     "So, give me one here," Seongwoo brightened instantly at the reassurance and pointed to his cheek.

     Then, Daniel leaned over and slightly pecked him. He put up his hand when Seongwoo jumped forward, making the boy pout against his hand.

     "What's wrong?" he complained.

     "Nothing is wrong. I couldn't fully explain about real kisses. If you do it too much then, the person will get so happy and then they will get...er, sick..."

     Seongwoo tilted his head, doubtfully searching through his memory. He didn't recall anyone seeming sick. Was that the groaning sounds? Were they in pain? And why the part of their body when they peed got swollen red and started leaking? Was that also painful?

     "Sick?" He gasped adorably.

     Daniel nodded seriously, screaming at himself inwardly. What lies are you telling him now? You're going to go to hell. "Yes, very sick."

     "I don't want you to be sick but..." Seongwoo bit his lips, hesitating about whether to keep kissing him or not. But I like kisses so much and we just got started...

     "Exactly. I don't want you to be sick either. We can do other things besides kissing. Let's keep the kissing to a minimum for now, hmm? Later, our bodies will build up, um...an immunity. Then, we can kiss more and more. It just takes time."

     Daniel hoped that Seongwoo was buying this. He hated to not give what Seongwoo wanted, but he was scared with the way his body reacted just from a few innocent pecks. He was not going to be able to control himself with Seongwoo so willing and enthusiastic. But he wanted to take things nice and slow still. He didn't want to scare Seongwoo for one. For another, he wanted practice and research. He wasn't sure yet quite how to make-out or do any other kind of forplay properly. He only had theories and images in his mind from actors. Who knew if anything like that worked.

     He wanted to just enjoy innocent, sweet moments and experiment little by little when he felt they were both ready and he wouldn't frighten or hurt Seongwoo. Daniel took the slightly disappointed boy in his arms. Seongwoo laid on his shoulder and wrapped his arms around Daniel's waist. Daniel wrapped his arm around his shoulder and relaxed back.

     "Ah, this is nice..." Shoot, he had let that slip out loud.

     Seongwoo hummed in agreement, then passed him the mic. "Your turn to sing."

    Daniel took the mic but hesitated to start although he knew the song. "I'm not any good..."

    "Thats okay. I still want to hear. Just once..."

     "I don't know..."

     Seongwoo looked at him with large, pleading, beautiful eyes and a huge pout he was tempted to kiss off. How can I possibly resist that? Seongwoo snickered when he started singing. I knew he wouldn't be able to resist that look. Seongwoo closed his eyes so he could listen closely.

     "Slowly close your eyes. Feel it, all the time we’ll be together. All of the promises. Even the familiar faces. Such precious times. Each is so special to me. Even though it’s hard, I gain strength from you who will smile when you see me. Wherever, always, I’m all yours. Always, I’m by your side to give you a back hug. I’ll cling onto you like a bear, I’ll wrap around you. I’ll always protect you, always."

     Seongwoo melted into the seat, his eyes tearing up for some unknown reason. That song was really touching and Daniel's voice was so soft and sweet. "Aw, your voice is so nice."

    "You don't need to lie," Daniel laughed, drumming and stoking his fingers over his shoulder.

     Seongwoo leaned over and pecked his neck. "I wasn't lying. It sounds nice and sweet."  

     Fuck, Daniel thought as the kiss shot heat and shivers through his whole body like lightening. Seongwoo, I told you not to do that so much. You're way too innocent I can't handle it. The torture just worsens to unbearable degrees...

      Seongwoo, on the other hand, had no idea what his love of kisses and random attacks of affection did to his mate. He was just enjoying the happy tingly feels it gave him. Honestly, he had been feeling a bit sick today but it seemed that touching Daniel really relieved his heat wave symptoms, at least the minor aftereffects. 

 

 

     "I had a really great time today, Daniel. I never knew a birthday celebration could be so much fun. Thanks for all these presents, especially this one. I will wear it every day," Seongwoo fingered the necklace at his neck and smiled shyly.

     Daniel reached up and pushed a strand of hair off his forehead he hadn't yet noticed was out of place. He knew how much Seongwoo cared about maintaining his clean, perfect appearance. There, he was all perfectly beautiful and beautifully perfect again.

     "I'm glad you had a good day. It was worth all that planning and getting in trouble for not completing my homework."

     "Aw, you did that for me? You really shouldn't have..."

    "If it makes you smile, gorgeous, then I can take much more scolding than that."

     Daniel brushed the back of his fingers near his smiling mouth. Seongwoo smiled wider and giggled, looking down bashfully. Daniel smiled back, not able to take his eyes off. Seongwoo was so prettily handsome and sweet. So pure as well. Shame on him for ever thinking naughty thoughts about this precious baby face. I must have lost my mind today, some wierd pheromones in  the air around us or something mystical like that.

      "When can I see you again?" Seongwoo asked, playing with his chin bashfully.

     "Um, we've got finals coming up. How about you join my friends and me at this cafe we study at this Friday? We can try to get most of our studying done. Then, you can meet my friends. They really want to meet you and I kind of promised that after we became official, I would let them meet you. They're very curious about you. We can sneak out on our own after and eat dinner just the two of us."

     "Sounds good! See you then, and...well..." Seongwoo smiled shyly, glancing up and then down and up again repeatedly.

     "Yeah, well good night..." He added, stopping short of saying something else.

     "Yeah good night. Sweet dreams..."

     "Daniel..."

     "Hmm...?"

     They both were wringing their hands while looking from the floor to the other's face now, biting on their lips and flushing.

     "Can we maybe kiss again, just one last time tonight?" Seongwoo asked softly.

     Daniel closed his eyes and stole himself. He took a deep breath and nervously exhaled. There was no one around since it's late. They were not in a lighted place either. There was no logical reason to object and it wasn't like he didn't want to. Most definitely he wanted to kiss him, a hell of a lot more in fact. Truthfully, he hadn't been able to say goodbye to him yet because he was trying to work up the courage to kiss those lips and feel the amazement again. Seongwoo was as usual braver and more forward with speaking his desires than he was.

    Daniel coughed and put up a cool front like he wasn't so nervous that he felt like he might hurl. "Sure."

     Seongwoo lit up and took a step closer to him, closing his eyes and leaning his head forward. So beautiful, Daniel thought as he cradled his boyfriend's jaw with slightly shaky hands and stepped closer. For awhile, he studied the features he was coming to love so much. Then, he lowered his lips and ever so gently pressed his mouth to the other's puckered, eagerly waiting ones. Seongwoo breathed out with bliss, pressing closer at the contact. Daniel pressed a bit more firmly, slightly inhaling his sweet scent.

      This kiss is even better than the last ones, so help me god. Are our kisses going to get more incredible exponentially? What the hell am I going to do? 

      Can't we just stay like this forever? Kissing Daniel is my favorite thing of all now. I hate that it's going to be my last kiss for who knows how long. It's such a wonderful thing, it sucks that it has to be limited.

      They pulled apart, lingering close with their eyes still closed and their breaths uneven. Daniel stepped back and released him, sighing softly.

     Stop there, that's more than enough kisses for one day. Let's take it nice and slow. Any more and you're going to be following him into the apartment and begging to spend the night. Nice and slow, taking it easy, think not sexual thoughts like Jaehwan in a wedding dress...Ew, yuck, yup that kind of does the trick.

     Aw, why does he keep stopping so early? I want to try more. Ah, maybe he's starting to feel sick. I should be a good boy and let him stop when he needs to, even if I really want to know what it's like to kiss with tongue. Plenty of time to try more later, anyway, now we're official. I should be more patient.

     "I will watch until you go in to be sure you're safe."

     "Daniel, I'm a grown man and there's no one even around," he laughed.

     "Still. It will help me sleep better, so humble me here."

     Seongwoo rolled his eyes and chuckled. He obediently walked up the stairs to the front door of the building. They both turned, waved, and smiled in a silly lovesick way at each other.

      I wish tonight didn't have to end. I miss him already.

      I wish tonight didn't have to end. I miss him already.

 

 

      This time Seongwoo knocked on the door after mostly changing and slipped in quickly before Jisung even looked down. He didn't want to give him any more incriminating evidence that he was a shifter or a stalker. The idea was quite scary. Jisung was incredibly sharp taking those few details and coming to the correct conclusion in just a couple weeks.

     Jisung walked out into the hallway, looking left and right for whoever had knocked. "Ah, Daniel, there you are! How was it?"

     Jisung forgot all about the mysterious knock, getting distracted by the appearance of his roommate. Seongwoo sat next to Jisung, pretending like he'd been there the whole time. Today Jisung had had work, so it was easy to slip out and he would certainly have thought that Seongwoo had just been sleeping somewhere the past hour or so when he arrived home.

     Daniel was spinning around the hallway like he was preforming some kind of modern dance. At the door, he hugged Jisung tight and spun him around in circles.

     "Woah, I'm going to fall! Put me down, you big lug!" He shrieked, slapping the happy boy's shoulder.

     Daniel obeyed then hugged him again. Jisung caughed as the strong man crushed his ribs.

     "We kissed, we confessed, we're dating!"

     "You are? That's so much to happen in one date! I never would have imagined you could pull that off. Congratulations!" Jisung and Daniel both squealed, Jisung hitting his shoulders excitedly.

     Then, Jisung pushed him inside and shut the door. "Tell me everything!"

    Seongwoo hid his necklace he'd been carrying in his mouth under the bed and curled up on the cushiony blankets, feeling sleepy from his emotional, adventurous day, but he fought sleep because he didn't want to miss a thing Daniel was saying about him. Daniel was gushing with happiness and beaming as he animatedly explained every detail from beginning to end. Jisung listened with squeals and claps.

     'I have a mate who really truly loves me! It's so cute how excited he is when he's not trying to act cool in front of me,' Seongwoo thought, grinning from ear to ear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> Yay, they finally had their first real human mouth to mouth kiss! I like you guys so much I even gave you more than one which I wasn't originally planning, but as you may remember, Seongwoo is addicted to kisses with Daniel already and he's been hoping and trying to convince Daniel to give him a real one for awhile. So it sort of works for me.
> 
> I thought that the best time for a first kiss and confession would be Seongwoo's birthday's. Poor guy, shifters don't celebrate birthdays, they are so not a fun species of human, you know. The important things to note in this chapter besides melting at all the fluff, is that Seongwoo while he's in heat at certain times appears even more attractive, especially to interested parties which will prove dangerous for Daniel later who is trying hard to be a good boy. I wanted the scene in the restaurant to appear kind of sensual and comical like you would see in a drama. Did any of you ever see Secret Garden? Because there is a scene there where the guy imagines the girl way sexier than she really is and he has kind of a funny panic attack. That's what I was imagining that scene like. I hope you laughed if you could imagine it, sorry if maybe it wasn't detailed enough or I suck at describing.
> 
> Other things to note in this chapter are there are quite a few real life Wanna One moments in here and also that Daniel is such an incredibly sweet boyfriend. No lie, this is how I imagine him being when he's on a date. He mentioned before that he is very doting, affectionate, and protective to his lovers. So, in a way this date kind of is a release for my own personal fantasy. Because he seems so sweet and I would love to have a guy like that. My hubby is so blah in comparison haha. What's done is done though. I can just harbor my love in secret like I've been doing since May. 
> 
> I know this chapter was really long. I didn't want to split up the date this time so I put both of their thoughts and the entire course. A lot happened and I would feel bad making you wait to see how the date ended. I hope that you enjoyed it. I may update the next chapter closer to a week's time, we will see. 
> 
> In the next chapter, human Seongwoo meets and hangs out with the whole gang, Seongwoo learns some new things and Daniel gets teased for being the sweetest bf on earth in front of his hyungs who can't stand it. Look forward to it, see you soon, and please tell me below what you think because this is such an important chapter and it took me a couple weeks to write actually so love would be really appreciated~ 
> 
> <3 Always Raina


	18. Ong Meets The Gang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel introduces his first boyfriend to his friends, all of them. Comedy and romantic couply fluff ensues. Expect lots of teasing and embarrassed Daniel and curious, confused yet as always entertained Seongwoo. Seongwoo is also immediately adored by every single guy in this chapter at first sight.

 The gang was at their usual cafe on Friday night after their classes and jobs were all done. It was a large place with many options to eat and drink and large tables with comfortable, sofa style chairs and cushions. They had taken out the various books and homework worksheets they had to do and put them on the table. Almost all of the space was taken over by their schoolwork and writing utensils.

     "Who are we waiting for, just Daniel?" Minhyun asked.

     Jisung and Sungwoon shared a look, then snickered with all-knowing, Cheshire cat style grins.

     "We have a new member coming. Daniel's first...wait for it.... Boyfriend!" Jisung paused, making them all lean on their toes before practically shouting the last, crucial word at them.

     "No way!" They both exclaimed, Jaehwan actually jumping up from his seat like he had seen a ghost.

     "Yes way! The angelic, foreign hottie is finally blessing us with his holy presence. Not just that! Get this. Daniel's only half a virgin. They kissed on his birthday date!" Sungwoon explained, proud and delighted to be a gossip and an insider on the big news.

     "No way, no way, he's actually coming! I thought Dan would never introduce him to us. This is like Christmas coming twice!" Jaehwan let out his psychotic laugh.

     Minhyun went "Uh-oh," shaking his head and smiling secretly.

     "Jae, you better go easy on Dan and his new bae. Or this time, Daniel will really kill you. I have seen the plans, trust me," Minhyun warned with the tone of a wise, elderly man.

     "Aw, come on, Min. Don't spoil my fun before I even get started~" Jaehwan whined with an epic, puppy like pout.

     "Well, we just started dating and I'd like to make it to our one month anniversary before having to attend it at your funeral..." he replied, pinching Jaehwan's kissable, jutted lower lip.

     Jaehwan came over to him from behind and pinched then pulled the little bit of fat at his neck. Minhyun allowed it which was something he would have snapped at and hit the younger for weeks ago, looking half amused, half annoyed. Jaehwan made funny faces and then giggled as he did it, clearly the king at amusing himself with the tiniest of things.

     "I won't go overboard. He's my friend. Even I wouldn't humilate a guy in front of his first boyfriend. You're making me out into a big jerk. I thought you loved me, Minnie. I'm not that bad, am I?" He asked.

     The others shared a long look and hesitated to answer.

     "Aw, come on, answer me. I'm not~!" Jaehwan stamped his foot, causing Minhyun to chuckle.

     He secretly liked it when Jaehwan got offended, so he would tease him often and pretend to not take his side. Though this time, he was actually serious.

     "Um, yeah you really are..." Jisung admitted.

      Sungwoon added, "You don't have a filter, that's the problem. I tease and say obnoxious things too but at least I know clearly where the line is drawn see. You don't know where it is until you've stepped a mile over it..."

     Jaehwan acted like he didn't have a clue what they were talking about. His arrogance and his ability to ignore anything he didn't want to hear about himself made him notorious.

     "Even I can't stop you sometimes. Whatever happens today, Jae, you're not my responsibility. I'm not going to save you today if you choose to dig your own grave."

     "We're only warning you because we care..." Jisung insisted. "Daniel is really testy about this guy. He cares about his impression."

     "Can you blame him? The man is a total babe. He's hot Sub sex on legs," Sungwoon added, biting his lips and groaning erotically.

     "Would you stop being such a creepy old perv?" Jisung smacked his leg and grimaced like he was in pain from how embarrassingly crude his boyfriend could be.

     How had normal, kind, proper guys like him and Minhyun ended up loving these two jerks anyway? Sometimes Jisung felt like it didn't make any sense since they were polar opposites and usually drove them crazy with their inappropriate antics and messes they literally even had to clean up.

     Sungwoon smirked and shrugged arrogantly like he didn't see what he'd said wrong. Jisung hated that he actually loved that habit, Sungwoon just looked so hot then. Even if he was a dwarf. Jaehwan nodded in agreement.

     "Bet Dan thinks of him at night in a leather cat suit," Jaehwan joked, having heard all about what kind of things Daniel was into from gossip Sungwoon.

     The perverted idiots snickered creepily and high-fived. Minhyun and Jaehwan shook their heads and buried their faces in their hands.

     "Today's going to be a disaster.. ." Minhyun sighed with despair.

     "From tonight I'm probably going to be the only one who's still Daniel's friend."

      Sungwoon snickered and then retorted, "No, you're not going to be anymore either. You hate his bae because you're envious of his looks, jelly Queen Bee."

     Jisung stuttered and then started wildly smacking him. Because he was partially right for one, and he was ashamed to have it untactfully displayed for all of his friends to mock his irrationality, for two.

      "I do not! You fat pizza addict pig! Perverted mean midget! You're so obnoxious and you lie! I'm so over with you today!"

     Sungwoon laughed, standing up and swiveling his body to expertly dodge the flailing hands.

     No-one was really concerned as Jisung was dramatic and Sungwoon loved teasing him so they faught regularly and Jisung often gave empty threats.

     "You're only proving my point, babe. Besides you don't mean that. You would never dump me. You love me. You find me irresistible."

     "Beg to differ! Those sweet days are over. Now you get nothing but regret."

     Jisung crossed his arms and looked away. Jaehwan had wrapped his arms around Minhyun, singing an acoustic version of Skyfall from on top of Minhyun's head, making the older vibrate pleasantly which he thought of as a slightly noisy massage. He closed his eyes, loving his boyfriend's voice which was one of the only sweet, romantic things about him or so he had used to think before he took a chance to really get to know him, then sang along when Jaehwan forgot the lyrics.

     Ah, I'm really happy that he drunkenly kissed me or I never would have given him a serious look, Minhyun thought. He wouldn't have been as blissful, content and stress-free. That's what time with Jaehwan gave him and the reason he was trying to spend every day together as much as their schedules would allow. Funny to think he'd have all these sweet thoughts and do all these romantic things with the guy he used to always bicker with and find incredibly irritating. There was a bit more to him than he seemed though. Jaehwan had this whole other sweet, sentimental, deep side to him he hadn't known about for a long time.

     "Hey now, don't fight guys. Don't want Mr. Lovely Ong to see that or it won't leave much of a good impression."

     "Let's get our drinks first," Minhyun suggested, squeezing his lover's cool hand.

 

 

     Minhyun and Sungwoon went to the counter to get their sweethearts their usual. Minhyun and Sungwoon had iced Americanos, Jaehwan got a smoothie, Jisung had a cafe latte and Sungwoon bought him a macaroon as an apology. Jisung was still sour when they returned. Jaehwan tried to cheer him up with singing and dancing like a cheer leader, which mildly seemed to be helping as Jisung's lips were twitching up at the corners.

     "Cheer up baby, cheer up baby..."

     "Shut up, Jae baby, you're being noisy and embarassing," Minhyun softly scolded after a peck to shut him up mid-verse, distracting his swinging hands with a cup to grasp.

     Jaehwan flushed in embarassment at the sudden, unusually open display of affection and put the cold drink on his cheek to cool down. He smiled shyly and giggled.

     "Omo, did you guys see that miracle? Min kissed me in public for the first time! We're making real progress. And you thought we would only last a month~"

      "That's nothing, Jae. I will do more if you promise..."  Minhyun smirked an inch away from his face and said suggestively.

     "I promise I wont embarass Daniel! I will stay within reason and be extra polite. Nothing dirty! Definitely nothing about their virginhood or deflowering!" He exclaimed excitedly, with his hand up like he was taking an oath.

     "Shh!" Sungwoon and Jisung said, looking around to see if Daniel had arrived yet. Luckily, he hadn't.

      "Yah~" Minhyun scolded him a bit more seriously.

     Jaehwan went 'oops' and sunk down in his chair whispering, "I will be good. So give me more sugar, Min, please."

Minhyun chuckled, looking at him warmly. Jaehwan was such a funny, cute little kid. He took Jaehwan's hand in his and linked their fingers. Then, he pressed their foreheads together. Jaehwan smiled wide, clearly loving it and getting all shy.

     "Saranghae~"

      Jisung looked at them with a sad, envious expression. "Aw, they're so sweet. I knew I should have gone for Min before he developed feelings for Jae. You're never sweet like that in public."

     Sungwoon, determined to prove him dead wrong, hugged the upset man, sliding close to him and pulling him to his chest. Jisung pretended to be cool but he was fighting a flattered grin and flushing pink. 

     "I love you, Jiji. I'm sorry for earlier. I promise I will be sweeter to you. You're the hottest guy to me. Here's some sugar for you too."

      Sungwoon tried to feed him a macroon with his lips.

      Jisung glared at him, not one to ever give in so easily. He always made Sungwoon beg a few times before he forgave him. Sungwoon really liked their push-pull, hot-cold play. It was the hottest thing about Jisung, the way he controlled and drug him around so effortlessly. Some had found that side of Jisung tiring, but he found it kept their chemistry sparking. It made for really terrific angry sex too.

      Sungwoon tilted his head and flashed big, shining puppy eyes, even adding a cute whimper for effect. Jisung eventually cracked and bit the snack, letting their lips brush for a few, sweet, affectionate seconds before chewing. Sungwoon smiled smugly in victory.

     "Told you so," he shook Jisung playfully.

      Jisung snuggled into him and rested his head on his shoulder but rolled his eyes in a fed up way.

     "This isn't over. I'm just calling a time out since we have a guest coming. We will fight more later."

 

 

    "So, tell us all about this guy. What's he like?" Jaehwan asked to change the topic.

      "Well, all we have to go off of is the rumors and Daniel's biased view..." Sungwoon admitted.

     Jisung and Sungwoon went back and forth, explaining what they knew.

     "Apparently, he's really cute and funny."

     "And naive. He doesn't know much about our country. He comes from a weird culture. They don't get married, have trains, or even bikes."

      "And he knows nothing about sex. They apparently 'mate' randomly with anyone they want even if they have a family but don't believe in sex education."

    "He speaks Korean pretty well. Oh, and he looks like a cat."

     Minhyun cut in, laughing in disbelief. "What? He's gotta be imagining that. His cat obsession is really weird. Maybe we need to get him checked out. I'm starting to think it could be a problem..."

      Jaehwan shrugged, defending Daniel. "Well, maybe he does have catlike habits. We will have to see."

     "Well, see that's what I think is wierd about him... He's too much like a cat and then we have a cat that's too much like a human and they even share the same name. I was thinking, what if they're..."

     "Jisung, we discussed this. It needs more observations...." Sungwoo stopped him by cutting in abruptly with a pinch on his leg, making Jisung cry out in pain and stop in the middle of explaining his cat-man theory.

     That's when two sets of footsteps sounded. They all turned eagerly, eyes going to the new people with curiousity and uncontained excitement. Daniel led a tall, brunette boy who was fashionably dressed and looking at the floor through incredibly long lashes like he was worried about tripping up the hallway stairs. Daniel looked out for him, leading slowly the entire way like he was escorting royalty rather than a fully grown healthy commonor. But when they saw him getting closer, they literally gasped and their mouths dropped open.

     "How did he score with someone that hot? Even for him, that's unbelievable..." Sungwoon said enviously.

      Jisung wanted to retort but no words would come out of his mouth. He couldn't deny it. Those pictures hadn't done the foreigner's modelesque beauty a lick of justice. He was...like a freaking fairy. Utterly incomparably, ethereally beautiful in a way Jisung never knew a person could be while still looking clearly like a male.

     Ong Seongwoo was freakishly tall and his proportions were insane like someone from a western country. He was asian in the best ways, like his deep, large, almond black eyes, dark wavy hair, and slightly golden skin. But his face looked like surgery gone very well but clearly, naturally, perfectly semetrical, small, and chiseled with the sharpest nose, protruding chin, defined jaw and straight, thin, groomed expertly eyebrows.

        Minhyun exhaled and bit his lip, turning red as he looked the handsome man up and down. "Holy shit. Don't hate me Jay, but I kind of actually want him."

     "Me too. I think I'm in cardiac arrest. That's a drug for any gay man..." Jaehwan added, his hand over his racing heart, his eyes equally glued to that gorgeous, breathtaking face.

 

 

     They were in shock for thirty seconds then tried to recover their cool as Daniel spotted them and pulled the pretty boy by the hand their way. They didn't want to embarass Daniel and they didn't want to seem like jerks by overreacting and goggling at Seongwoo like everyone else seemed to do. But dang...It was really hard not to...!

     Jaehwan was tempted to take a picture. The only thing that was stopping him was his deal with Minhyun. It wasn't worth losing public displays of affection.

      Daniel had made them promise yesterday when they were group chatting on kakao to be normal because Seongwoo was apparently self conscious and uncomfortable when people fawned over him. Daniel said he was pretty humble and very shy, which wasn't what his initial appearance suggested. Seongwoo walked like a graceful, confident top model would just down the aisle towards the table. Didn't help that the rug was long and red like a red carpet which he honestly didn't look mismatched on.

     Jaehwan observed, "Hey, they actually look pretty good together..."

     Sungwoon replied in agreement with a nod, "Yeah, Daniel appears more handsome next to him. He's glowing with happiness, aw..."

    Minhyun observed next. "Look at how he takes care of him. I never thought Daniel could be so sweet."

      "He's being a perfect boyfriend since he's scared of losing him. Of course, who wouldn't worry about losing a fine catch like that..." Jaehwan commented with envy.

       Minhyun whispered, "He's coming! Better watch what we say..."

     "I'm already tongue tied. How can I speak to him..." Jaehwan whispered back.

       "Just be yourself. He's human still," Minhyun assured.

      "Are you sure about that...?" Jisung commented.

     "Jisung, there's a time and a place..." Sungwoon warned quietly.

    "Alright, alright, shh shh..." Jisung replied, sounding irritated.

     The group stopped their excited whispering as the couple came close and Seongwoo looked at them all with a shy, awkward smile, his cheeks extra rosy from the cool wind. Daniel had led him extra carefully to the table, moving any object that could possible harm his precious boyfriend's perfect body.

     They were so going to give him hell about that when they were next alone, because that was just classic. Daniel never did that kind of thing for anyone. He'd be more likely to purposely push something in your way and then laugh at you when you tripped. This boy really made him do a 180.

     Daniel finally released Seongwoo's hand only to pull out a chair and swipe the pillow of any dirt. Seongwoo used his free hand to fix his hair which there was no obvious need to, they thought. It was perfect.

     Ugh, it's so soft and glossy looking, I wonder what his secret is, but I still don't trust him, so I refuse to ask, Jisung thought. He would admit the boy was handsome, adorable, but his innocence could all be an act to hide his stalker psycho characters or supernatural origins. Daniel meant too much to him. Jisung wouldn't allow some siren to trick and hurt him. He was keeping his instincts sharp.

    "Stop glaring, Daniel can see it," Sungwoon scolded Jisung in a whisper.

      The pretty boy nervously licked his lips and bounced on his heels.

       "This is Seongwoo...my boyfriend. My boyfriend Seongwoo, this is my gang. That's Minhyun, Jaehwan, my roommate Jisung, and his boyfriend, Sungwoon."

      Daniel introduced him proudly, clearly bragging by slipping in the obvious 'boyfriend' word. He must be stoked to have his hot crush be all his, they figured with amusement and more teasing ammunition. They all smiled, waved, and politely bowed their heads in a casual, friendly way. Since they were all similar ages they knew.

      "Nice to meet you. My name is Ong Seongwoo. Not Hong Seongwoo, not Gong Seongwoo, not Woong Seongwoo. But Ong Seongwoo,. It's really nice to meet you all!" he greeted brightly and then bowed deep.

        They all laughed, Daniel the most, giving the boy a clearly smitten, amused, proud look. Seeing them together, it was even more obvious than when he had raved or defended Seongwoo earlier. He was clearly infatuated with the foreigner. They gradually got more of an idea as time went by. Seongwoo turned out to be funny, friendly, talkative, kind and naive in an endearing way. They were grateful to see he cared and felt smitten over Daniel, always looking at him and sticking to his side.

     Eventually their conversation came to a lull and Daniel started taking care of his boyfriend again. He realized they were still standing without drinks. "Seongwoo, sit down here."

     Seongwoo gracefully perched with his legs together and his hands on his knees, looking down at the table. It seemed he was uneasy now Daniel wasn't right next to him.

     "Stop staring and just act normal," Daniel joked with them.

       Then, Daniel brushed a knuckle playfully under Seongwoo's chin. The boy looked up at him, smiling wide with warmth and clear adoration. Daniel smiled and chuckled back, looking cute and even more smitten. They seemed pretty comfortable with each other for only having known each other just over half a month, they observed.

     "They're nice guys, I promise. They're just looking at you like that because they're temporarily blown away. They will be chill and if they're not, then I will punish them and they'll never be allowed to see you again."

     He turned to flash a warning finger and narrowed eyes at each one individually. They nodded and put on faces of total innocence. Seongwoo flushed and smiled, looking all innocent and bashful again.

     "Aw... He's so cute and squishy. I just wanna..." Jaehwan murmured while stretching his hand towars Seongwoo's face. Minhyun clamped his hand over his mouth, slapped his hand down, and shot him a look.

     "Do this, right?"

     Daniel leaned down with a smug grin, wrapped his arm around Seongwoo's thin shoulders, and pinched his pale, fleshy cheek like Jaehwan wanted to. Seongwoo giggled, then he reached up and playfully pinched Daniel's cheek back.

     Jisung really wanted to say get a room but he didn't want to interrupt their moment with his negativity. He felt uncomfortable, like his best friend was being taken away. He was happy for him though, of course(assuming Seongwoo was a normal human, that is, which he hoped he was just misunderstanding).Daniel had never looked so blissfully happy, not even the other day when he'd come home gushing about his perfect, successful date and first kiss.

     "Why don't you get Seongwoo a drink? I will keep everyone in check. We've got to start studying soon anyway," Minhyun suggested.

     "I will get you a latte. Be right back."

     Daniel caringly brushed Seongwoo's hair before he walked off coolly. The boy closed his eyes happily and seemed to press slightly into his hand. Kind of like cats often do, they observed.

 

 

     While Daniel was gone, there was a prolonged awkward silence. Seongwoo blinked, nervously playing with his sleeves as the others watched him with a smile on their face. He looked uneasy and uncomfortable.

     Jisung was the first to strike up some conversation. "So, I hear you like fashion. I'm in the fashion department too."

     "Ah yeah, I've seen you. It's um..an interesting subject."

     "What's your favorite class?" He asked next.

     "I like everything."

     "Who's your favorite teacher?"

     "Um.. the nice, old guy?"

     "Oh, yeah, I like him too. He knows a lot."

     "We heard a lot about your culture. Where are you from though, exactly?" Jisung continued with the rapid third degree, noticing like a hawk that the foreigner was nervously stuttering and being pretty vague and unsure with his answers.

     "Oh um... it's a small island country called um...Shifter...alia. It's called Shifteralia."

     He's lying, that's so obviously a fake name, Jisung thought. And he was pretty sure he wasn't in the fashion department as all their teachers were young. He probably wasn't even a student here. It was really suspicious. He watched the guy suspiciously, searching for something that would point either to him being a stalker or a supernatural being.

     Sungwoon scolded him, stopping him from asking more questions he had come prepared with, "Enough with the cross-fire, Jiji. So, what do you think of Daniel?"

     "I like him!" Seongwoo replied immediately with the utmost enthusiasm, causing them to chuckle and flush at his adorableness. "He's the nicest, cutest, funniest, most caring, handsome human... er, I mean Korean I have ever met!"

     It seemed that Seongwoo was really excited more talking about Daniel and incredibly open. They were shocked at how easily he confessed all that. Too bad Daniel hadn't been around to hear it, they thought. His reaction would have been priceless. Well, he might have heard it before, seeing as Seongwoo said all that in front of strangers. He was like a child in a way, so trusting, bubbly, bright, and honest. It was fresh and appealing and seemed just up Daniel's ally.

      "Is there anything you don't like about him?" Jaehwan asked next out of pure.

     He knew Daniel well, the longest,  and he didn't think someone could think of one person quite so highly. Daniel had a lot of little quirky habits and irritating idiosyncrasies as well.

     Minhyun hit his arm, muttering lowly,  "Don't ask that! They just started dating. Do you want to break them up already? Daniel's going to have your balls cooked into a pie soon if he catches you. That's one of the plans..."

      Jaehwan snickered and then put on an innocent expression, shrugging his shoulders like 'What did I say that was so offensive?'

     "Nope, nothing... Except..." Seongwoo leaned in to whisper.

     Jaehwan and even Minhyun and the others leaned in, secretly hoping there'd be something to tease their maknae or at least advise about. Their last advice session with their innocent, vulnerable, easily offended and embarassed maknae had been a blast for his hyungs. They were getting amusement reliving their younger, first dating, virgin days vicariously through him.

     "He eats too much junk food, he's unbelievably messy, and he does dangerous things even though he's clumsy." 

     They chuckled and nodded in agreement. His friends were tempted to dish about his various faults and less attractive habits and hobbies, but they barely held their tongues in check, remembering the pact that they wouldn't embarass Daniel or do anything that would make his crush find him unappealing. Only for today at least. But they really had some gems for Seongwoo later once they all got closer and he got curious about the 'real' Kang Daniel.

 

 

     "I know that face. You're talking about me, right? Even though I clearly warned you all specifically to play nice guys today," Daniel came back with a grumpy, suspicious expression.

     He handed Seongwoo the iced, milky, brown drink who currently went back to a poker face, apparently being an excellent actor. He sucked on the straw and bounced in the chair, his eyes widening in delight. They chuckled at the antics of the innocent yet mischievous, overflowing with natural aegyo boy.

     "Yummy?" Daniel's expression turned gentle the instant he looked at his boyfriend like it was magic, brushing the back of his head as he sat close to him. 

     Seongwoo nodded enthusiastically, smiling back at him sweetly around the straw. Somehow his appearance reminded them of the other day when Daniel's cat had been happily munching on a shoe string.

     "We were just asking about your birthday. Where did he take you...?" Minhyun asked kindly, smiling in an adoring, almost starstruck way.

     "Um...there was singing room and fireflowers and a cru..."

     Seongwoo looked up while counting activities on his fingers. He stopped when he couldn't recall a word for the boat ride.

     "Cruise, fireworks and norebang, plus dinner," Daniel translated and added one more activity.

     "Oh nice~" They hid their chuckles behind their hands.

     Seongwoo's accent and mistakes were really adorable, why hadn't they ever met a cute and gay foreigner, they collectively thought. Jisung wondered if it was an act to be more irresistible. If it was true, it was almost sad how suckered in they were. He wasn't going to get ensnared in the mouse trap up and gobbled up though, as he had practically invented that act.

     "Sorry, I'm not good at remembering new words yet," the flushed boy bowed and apologized.

     Daniel comfortingly squeezed his hand, taking it into his lap. "You're a foreigner, Seongwoo. Mistakes are obvious. His Korean is really good, right?"

     They all nodded, complimented, and gave him a thumbs up. Seongwoo flushed and giggled, blinking so his whole eyelids pressed up to his eyebrows in the cutest fashion. The boys' hearts, minus Jisung, melted a bit into a greasy puddle as they gazed at him with silly, awed grins.

     "So, what did Daniel get you?" Minhyun asked next.

     "I got lots of presents. This ring and this necklace." He showed off the jewelry proudly.

    Jaehwan expressed amazement, "Oh, good taste."

     "Suits you," Jisung admitted rather grudgingly.

     Sungwoon added, sounding genuinely impressed which was a rare occurrence with his complex toward the other puppy like blonde, "Nice one, Dan. Jewelry right off the bat."

     Seongwoo beamed brightly, looking proud of the compliments Daniel received as if they were his own. "There's more. I got three hugs and many kisses, even a real one on the lips finally."

     They all stared at the couple in shock. Daniel had his pinkening face covered by his hand, pretending like he hadn't heard that last humiliating part. They knew he was an innocent, naive, and pure guy but they didn't think Seongwoo would not understand how private kisses were considered and that people didn't usually tell about them even to their closest friends. Oh, this is the greatest opening to tease him ever, this is pure gold, they thought evilly, minus Jisung. They pretended they didn't know about it because Jisung could get in hot water for telling them earlier.

     "He kissed you, huh? " Minhyun grinned softly.

    Jaehwan turned to the handsome blonde, looking offended. "Daniel, so you already got your first kiss, hmm? You should have told your besties."

     Jisung shrugged. "He told me. I guess he doesn't trust you enough."

      "Because you other pervs would have asked for details about how it was, that's why!" Daniel retorted loudly like he was a few words away from his cool completely snapping.

    Jaehwan childishly retorted, "Like Jisung didn't!"

     "I didn't. I'm a non-perv, remember?" Jisung shot back with arrogance.

      Seongwoo interjected with a tap on Daniel's shoulder and clearing his throat, apparently not liking being left out. "Daniel, what's a perv?"

     "You don't need to know!" Daniel frustratingly waved his hands and shook his head as the others burst out laughing rather evilly.

    Seongwoo sat back and crossed his arms with a huff and the cutest bottom lip jutting out pout and furrowed brows. Daniel was clearly ready to cave at just the first glance of that look, they noticed. The others stared in wonder yet again at the pretty man who seemed to leak pheromones that made him irresistibly attractive even to those who were already in love with other's. Then, they snickered, really looking forward to seeing how Daniel safely explained this word.

     He grudgingly gave a quick explanation, appearing grumpy and stern like Seongwoo's grandpa or something. "Perv is short for pervert. Someone who likes naughty, bad things. It's not something good to be called. That's what."

     The others gave him a 'did you seriously just tell him that lame bullshit?' kind of look, thinking the explanation was much too simplified and terribly boring. Daniel shrugged, trying to get across with his eyes that he wanted to protect Seongwoo's innocence about all sexual related things until much later in their relationship.

     "It's not a good word, so don't use it," he concluded with a firm, stern tone.

     "But you just said it, so that doesn't seem fair. I'm technically older than you, so I should be allowed to say it if you can," Seongwoo retorted.

     The others looked at Daniel, thinking he did have a point there. It wasn't fair to say there was something they could say and Seongwoo could not since he wasn't actually a child.

     Daniel sighed and ran a hand across his face. "Sorry, you're right. That was my bad. I won't say any bad words again. If I say a bad word, in fact, let's make a deal that you get a kiss, okay?"

     "Oh, I like that idea~ Yay for kisses~" Seongwoo giggled and clapped. "Hurry guys, make him say a bad word."

     "You sure like kisses, huh?" Jaehwan joked with a flirty tone, sidling closer to Minhyun.

     "Of course he does, who doesn't?" Sungwoon said, sliding close and leaning in towards his neighboring boyfriend as well, then kissed Jisung on the lips with a noisy peck.

     Minhyun met Sungwoon's gaze and smirked as he caught on to the mischievous guy's plan to torture Daniel some more. Jaehwan was singing. Minhyun moved closer and started singing too. Then, when he had his eyes closed, Minhyun jumped forward and pecked him. Jaehwan quieted and leaned eagerly into the kiss, lasting several seconds more. Then, they all looked at Daniel. 

     "Nu-uh," he shook his head stubbornly and glared at them. "I'm not falling for your tricks."

    Sungwoon pressed in a logical, persuasive tone, "But we did it, so it's only fair. Just a peck. Seongwoo likes kisses, why are you depriving him? Don't be lame and mean. He's already been without them twenty years."

     Jaehwan assured with a crooked grin, "Just do it, we won't tease you."

     "You liars!" Daniel laughed incredulously. "You're a bunch of scheming, lying, pervert foxes!"

     "Oh-!" they all exclaimed together and pointed at him as he said a bad word.

     Seongwoo was pointing at him as well and smiling huge like he had won the lottery. Daniel's eyes went big as he gradually realized his grave mistake.

     "You said a bad word, Daniel. That means I get a kiss~!" Seongwoo teased.

     "Darn it, that totally worked in your favor, meaning you planned that all out. You bunch of jerks. I regret letting you befriend me..." Daniel groaned in frustration, thinking he was an idiot.

     Seongwoo leaned towards him and pursed his lips, waiting with smug delight for his end of the deal to be fulfilled. Daniel tried to cover their faces as he reluctantly leaned in and gave the boy a sweet peck. They both turned red and giggled, looking at each other warmly yet shyly afterwards. The others clapped, absolutely loving this for several reasons, and started obnoxiously singing congratulations.

     "Ew, you're so noisy and obnoxious. I oughta whoop you all!" Daniel stood up and knocked all four of them on the head with a pencil case while they laughed and tried to duck, looking like a real-life version of the game whack-a-mole.

    "I was thinking you would simply give me a treatment kiss. Thanks, Daniel. I like these better," Seongwoo said brightly.

    Daniel flushed darker, wishing that Seongwoo would stop talking about kisses already. Not in front of these wolves who were looking for materials to make his life miserable. Why had he gone and said that, darnit...

     "Treatment kisses? What are those?" they murmured curiously.

    "Long story..." Daniel sighed.

     Then, he glanced over at Seongwoo who was drinking his vanilla latte and looking through his encyclopedia in the P section probably to look for pervert, now happier than ever. That was their first kiss since the last time they parted several days ago and he had been desperate. Well, suffering some humiliation was worth it then. Even if people had been watching and he was tricked into doing it, he still enjoyed it and had desired it.

      Jisung promised he would tell the others the story later.

 

 

      After that, Daniel suggested they study. He was worried what else they would ask and what Seongwoo would say. If the topic of sex came up,  there was going to be a Daniel shaped hole in the wall of this cafe, he swore.

     While they studied, Seongwoo often asked the group questions. If Daniel didn't have the answers, he would then turn to brainy Minhyun who was sitting across from him and promised eagerly to help him whenever asked. Sometimes Minhyun would butt-in too with additional information or correct Daniel. He was  making him seem like a dunce.

     Daniel didn't like how they were getting chummy either. Seongwoo got a wierd look and smiled a lot at Minhyun, it was almost on the level of flirty and somehow seemed familiar. Minhyun seemed to find him cute and amusing, occasionally gently petting the top of his head or squeezing his shoulder.

     It caused a spark of jealousy to ignite in Daniel. Minhyun was incredibly handsome. He wondered if Seongwoo noticed that on top of his kindness, soft way of speaking, and intelligence. Daniel hoped Seongwoo wasn't the type to quickly fall for a pretty face.

     The next hour went by uneventfully with no more personal or suggestive topics.  It was a miracle with Jaehwan, the king of immaturity, present.

     Then, Jaehwan and Sungwoon brought out some pocky and suggested they play a game. Daniel and Jisung tried to stop them, but they were overruled when Seongwoo got all pouty again, saying Daniel was always trying to keep him out of the loop and how was he going to learn anything being kept out and shielded all the time. Sungwoon and Jaehwan argued firmly in his defense and Seongwoo used his big kitten eyes when logic failed until Daniel eventually caved. He had a terrible feeling about this though.

     The game was for each couple to eat the ends of the pocky stick to see how far they could go. Minhyun and Jaehwan actually broke it early by accident because Jaehwan grew shy, not used to public displays. Sungwoon and Jisung got down to a couple of centimeters. Seongwoo was determined to get it close to win the game. He liked winning and, since it made him happy, he thought that it would make Daniel happy too.

     He loved making Daniel happy, it was his new favorite hobby. He didn't understand why Daniel didn't seem too happy today though or why he was interfering with his friends' trying to chat or have fun with him. Seongwoo was really enjoying bonding time with them as a human. They acted differently than in his cat form.

     Seongwoo held Daniel's head and slid up the stick far in one go. Their lips touched but Seongwoo didn't stop until their teeth were as well. Then, it slipped and Seongwoo went to catch the falling snack. Seongwoo's tongue accidentally brushed against Daniel's lower lip. Daniel violently jumped away, all red faced and wide eyed.

     "Yay, ours is the shortest, so that means we won!" Seongwoo cheered dancing in his chair and waving his fists in the air gleefully. "Isn't that great, Dan...?"

     He couldn't celebrate with Daniel unfortunately as he had left the table, headed for the bathroom. The others were clapping and laughing a lot. He cocked his head and nervously licked his lips which tasted like chocolate and they had to admit he really did look like a cat then.

      "Whats wrong? Is he sick? Does he have a chocolate allergy?"

     "Oh, don't worry about him. He's just horny!" Sungwoon replied.

     Jisung shook his head as the three boys high-fived since their plans were going much better than they ever expected.

     Seongwoo cocked his head the other way and went, "Hmm? Whats that?"

     "If you kiss sometimes, you can get sick... That's what we call horny," Jisung explained kindly, cutting in before other's others could say something dirty.

     Jisung actually felt bad for the couple now. These hyungs were ruthless. Seongwoo suddenly recalled what Daniel had explained on his birthday when he'd tried to get more kisses and nodded.

     "Ahh.. I see..."

     Now he knew the dangers of over kissing and what the sickness Daniel had mentioned was called. They shook their heads and shared a look, thinking 'oh no, he really doesn't see at all, he's so innocent it must be torture for Daniel, no wonder he's been going so slow and careful, we better watch our words or we could really corrupt this sweet kiddo.'

     "Ah, in my country, we have something similar called a heat wave. You get sick like that before you mate."

     Heat as in animal heat, Jisung shared a pointed look with Sungwoon. Sungwoon gave him a look like 'calm down, it probably doesn't mean what you're thinking, he's not supernatural.'

     "I guess our cultures are more similar than I thought," Seongwoo replied happily, playing absently with a rolling pen with his hands.

     Jisung put his hand over the other's and smiled in a very friendly way. "I hope you will tell me lots more about your culture."

     "Sure, anything," Seongwoo nodded and squeezed the kind boy's hand back.

     He always did like Jisung. He was nice to his human form too.

     Huh, you think he'd be more careful about exposing his identity but he seems so willing to give up info that would incriminate him further. Is it an act? Maybe he's from a real country called Shifteralia? Maybe he was getting carried away.

     Seongwoo looked at him with a trusting, friendly, innocent smile like he thought they were friends, and Jisung felt guilty for thinking the way he'd been. Seongwoo honestly didn't seem like a bad guy and, though he did seem odd and catlike, he didn't necessarily seem to be hiding superpowers. Maybe he was way overreacting and being a jealous jerk. Though there was the idea that he was likely not a fashion student and he was stalking Daniel and sneaking into his bed at night, so Jisung was still going to be on the lookout for that, even if he was willing to cut the foreigner a bit of slack after meeting him and getting a good impression for the most part.

     "I will teach you about Korea as much as you want. Oh, and I can tell you lots of things about Daniel."

     "Hey, standing right here... Also let me make this clear to you all. No touchy touchy now that we're all officially couply. Kapiesh?" Daniel sneered, taking Seongwoo's hands away and cradling them possessively in his own.

      Seongwoo looked up and beamed, happy to have his lover back. Daniel seemed fine, luckily. He didn't smell funny either so he probably hadn't been too sick. He was worried his kisses had made the boy itchy and leaking that smelly white pus again. 

     Suddenly Jaehwan burst out, whining noisily, "Omo, this is golden! Dan, you make it so easy to tease you. Why am I not allowed to today of all perfect days? Ugh, so many opportunities and songs in my head. This is a new kind of hellanous torture..."

     Minhyun gave Jaehwan a sweet, charismatic look suddenly, grabbing his chin in his hand.

     "Saranghae~" he murmured, giving the troublemaker who was wavering some incentive to keep up the nice, polite guy front.

     Jaehwan literally melted in front of them, sheer adoration and bliss written all over his puffy, bashful, beaming face. Daniel looked at them with an eyebrow raised. Minhyun had never done things like that in front of others and he wondered why he would choose to do it all of a sudden. He couldn't possibly be trying to make Seongwoo jealous in order to fool around with two guys now, could he? If so, he was adding Minhyun to his shitlist.

      "We made a little peacekeeping deal. You totally owe me by the way," Minhyun explained, then kissed pacified, lovestruck Jaehwan passionately in front of everyone.

     They all covered their eyes or looked away, complaining about it being too much and at least to put their tongues back in their own naughty traps. Daniel noticed only Seongwoo wasn't. He was smiling goofy and gazing right at them instead, like he was watching a movie. Daniel shielded his eyes with his own hand in an attempt to protect his innocence his friends were determined to destroy it seemed. He only hoped nothing inappropriate had been said while he was off forcing his issue to calm itself.

     Jaehwan stared off into space, looking like he was melting when Minhyun was through with him. He was oddly quiet the rest of their study session, except for an occasional, blissful sigh. Seongwoo found the whole group amusing and the day entertaining and educational as he giggled and smiled at all of them. They decided they liked the positive, cheerful boy and would approve of his relationship with their friend. Though they were still dumbfounded how Daniel got a perfect guy like that as his first ever lover. He must have extremely good fortune.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is mostly just comedy and a little bit of couple fluff and bromance. I love writing about this little gang. There will be the hyung line gang and then soon in the story I will introduce the supernatural maknae line gang. I will flip back and fourth between these two groups so that Wanna One members can all be in the story some time but I can't say they will come up often.
> 
> Anyways, there's not much going on here for plot. Except Jisung getting more suspicious, Ong being a bad liar, Daniel being so obviously in love, and Ong learning the side effects of kissing and yet another new word that he will unknowingly torture Daniel with later 'horny' hehe. It's mostly just the guys teasing Daniel, their passion in life, and also some bits here and there that show how whipped Jaehwan and Sungwoon are by their intelligent, head-strong boyfriends. It's obvious who wears the pants in these relationships. I love seeing Jaehwan being so easily controlled by Minhyun being openly sweet  and how Sungwoon sweetly gets back on Jisung's good side every time he crosses his toe over the line making Jisung threaten to dump him(obviously it's empty, we saw before how attached Jisung actually is to him despite his bratty jealous pervertedness). The group is supportive of and happy for Daniel but at the same time they can't help torturing him(isn't that what the closest of friends are like though?). I really enjoy this little group's lovable, family like dynamic. 
> 
> I like the idea of them all fawning over and being awed by Seongwoo(like anyone else in this story lol). They instantly like him and even Jisung is being swayed here and there. This will make it difficult to ever dislike him if they find out the truth. Not saying they all will, but it's reassuring for you guys maybe. Since the reveal's around the corner and all with detective Jisung on the loose. By the way, if you think that the story ends with the reveal, you are way off. This story's going to be quite a long one and I have more drama and romance and fluff and even some smut much later in store for you. I hope you enjoyed the little hint of Minhyun and Seongwoo, which exists just to make Daniel jealous. Seongwoo does like handsome guys but he's not that shallow enough to throw away his cutesome Danny. 
> 
> OMG though, Ong, come on, SHIFTERALIA? (shifter, Australia). That's the biggest hint he ever gave. *facepalm
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading and commenting. I hope you have enjoyed this fun, comical, fluffy chapter. Let me know what you thought! Next chapter is about hmm...let's say Seongwoo starting his future career and learning about the art of seduction. See you this weekend some time!
> 
> <3 Raina


	19. Sickness called 'Horny'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel and Seongwoo go out and about for a date shopping. Seongwoo gets scouted for his good looks with an offer to model and contact for some agencies. Both show signs of jealousy and being overwhelmed in dealing with the level of their growing attraction for each other. Seongwoo admits to a stranger that he's not yet mated with Daniel and gets some tips on enticing and seducing to speed the waiting process up. He attempts them while they're at the cafe. Seongwoo tries to make progress in their relationship and wants to know what this 'horny' sickness is all about, which completely throws Daniel for a loop.

Seongwoo hummed along to the song him and Daniel were listening to through a shared set of headphones. Daniel lowly sang the lyrics out loud, his voice husky and deep yet also warm, and with just the tiniest pinch of sweetness. I could listen to his voice for hours on end and never get sick of it, Seongwoo thought. They swung their clasped, linked hands as they strolled leisurely through the outdoor shopping district. There were stores on all sides of the path with colorful signs and interesting pictures.

     Today's date was window shopping. Seongwoo didn't have money because he didn't have a job, so he had told Daniel he couldn't go actual shopping. That's when Daniel had introduced him to the idea of window shopping, which was apparently all the rage in Korea these days. You could go look at pretty things for hours in various stores and not buy anything, according to his lecture. Seongwoo had always only gone into stores to buy something. He thought all humans did that. He didn't know you were allowed to look and not buy or you could go in without even the intention to buy something.

     Although he had known now that it was okay, the first couple of stores that Daniel had led him towards, that he insisted the foreigner would love because they were unique to his country, Seongwoo had felt guilty and worried that somehow humans could sense that he wasn't there to buy something and were looking at him accusingly and going to chase him out. As a cat, he had been chased out of many stores, even kicked or hit with a broom or had produce thrown at him. He figured his paranoia stemmed from that trauma and it was going to take more than a day for him to get over it.

     Every time they went into a store, Seongwoo needed to remind himself he was in a human body and here he was considered kind looking and attractive. He wouldn't get spanked with any brooms just for going into a store and wondering around curiously.

     Daniel asked him each time why he was shivering when they went into stores. He lied and said he was cold. Apparently, saying to your human boyfriend that you were cold was a terrific idea because every time he did, Daniel would rub his arms or hold him close to his body. Daniel gave the best hugs, though honestly Seongwoo had never had one in his human body with someone else so he couldn't really compare. He didn't need to or want to either. He just knew. Daniel was his destined mate, so of course to Seongwoo, his hugs would feel the best. Kisses too.

     Unfortunately, Daniel hadn't kissed him on their last couple of dates at all. He had out of the blue insisted they not do that in public, even treatment kisses. It kind of hurt and irked him. Daniel doesn't seem to like kisses as much as I do. He doesn't seem interested in mating either.

     They hadn't progressed from occasional hugs, hand holds, and sweet pecks. Seongwoo had tried several times with words and forward actions to get Daniel to at least kiss him more firmly when they were alone saying goodbye by his 'home', but if he so much as parted his lips the way he saw other boys do to initiate making out, the guy would pull away immediately like he was a hot plate, and say he was at his limit today. Feeling sick, Daniel would go to the bathroom back at the real dorm and when he came back he smelled differently. The smell felt familiar, similar to that one he'd seen leaking out of Daniel's body. But the smell was more intoxicating to Seongwoo now somehow. Ever since his heat waves came more frequently, he had started to feel excited and hot when he smelled Daniel, especially after he went to the bathroom to take care of his sickness.

     He was having a heat wave every couple of days and sometimes randomly when he was with Daniel in his human form. The symptoms would last for a couple of hours. If he was lucky, he would feel fine before Daniel arrived home so he wouldn't know about it. If he wasn't lucky, Daniel would give him this gross medicine and take him to the cafe.

     Seongwoo really hated that place. He refused to socialize and he was mean to the cats but the females were attracted to his 'in heat' scent like moths to a flame. He tried to stick to Daniel but Daniel never protected him. He kept insisting that he find someone to mate with to make the sickness go away. 

     Seongwoo knew that all too well as he wasn't totally stupidly innocent, but the problem was that the only person he wanted to mate with was right next to him for one, and two, said desired mate was stupidly deciding to progress their relationship at a snail's pace. He was tempted to tell Daniel he was a shifter just so that he would realize. For three years he'd been suffering these heat waves and they were even more uncomfortable and painful than usual, so he was desperate to alleviate them.

     Was it because he liked someone that the image and scent surrounding him everyday was making it stronger? Or was it that the feelings got stronger as shifters got older? Seongwoo really wished that his culture had some education or at least experienced elders to teach about these kinds of things. Of course, there might not be anyone who knew the answers since not mating once a year at least was unheard of after reaching adulthood. He was the only one he'd heard of refusing to in his society. 

 

 

    Seongwoo's complicated thoughts were interrupted by a cool, metalic object pressed to his nose and rolled along the bridge. His eyes crossed as he looked down at a coin. They had stopped and Daniel was staring at him with amusement and slight concern on his face, holding a silver coin to the tip of his nose. Daniel took it off and then brushed his finger along Seongwoo's cheek, smiling warmly.

     "100 won for your thoughts, Gorgeous? You stopped and you have been spacing out for a minute now. I called to you but you didn't say anything, so I was starting to wonder if you got posessed by an evil spirit."

     "Sometimes it feels like that. I just was thinking about something..." he replied with embarrassment.

     "Well, it seemed pretty important, for you to stop in the middle of the road, almost getting run over. The bruises I got from those kids on their mini cars were worth it though. Better me than you. With your pale skin, you would look like a Dalmatian."

     "Sorry, that was clumsy of me. Where are you hurt?" He apologized sincerely, touching various places on Daniel's muscular, solid body.

     Daniel squirmed like it tickled and caught his other hand, leading him off to a less crowded, quieter area by a quaint flower shop. Seongwoo compared which smell he liked better, freshly cut fully bloomed flowers or natural, musky Daniel plus his intoxicating cologne.

     "Tell me what's wrong. Are you not enjoying yourself? Maybe I chose the wrong place. Or are you bored with me? I know I wasn't talking that much today. I didn't have time to research this area much because I was studying for finals all week. I promise we can go somewhere really fun from next time. I will do the research and keep you entertained properly."

     Seongwoo laughed, shaking his head and squeezing his hands. Daniel frown pouted, not liking that he was being laughed at when he was serious.

     "You're overreacting, Dan. I just had something on my mind. It wasn't related to you or today at all. I love it here. Shopping is fun and interesting. In fact, I was just thinking of what store I wanted to go to next."

     Daniel brightened, his large white smile crinkling up his pretty dark eyes. Thankfully, he bought it and seemed to be cheerful again. Seongwoo hated the idea of ruining their date because he was thinking too much about things that weren't so important at the moment.

     "Oh, great. So, where to next?"

     Seongwoo looked around and pointed randomly. It was a clothing store called Armani.

     Daniel raised his eyebrow. "You really are meant to be in the fashion department. You've certainly got some class."

     Seongwoo didn't really understand but he guessed that he had chosen a store that was some expensive fashion brand name.

 

 

     When they walked into the store, there were few people inside. There were some clothes, bags, watches, and shoes looking all shiney and clean in glass door encased shelves with bright golden lighting. A girl wearing a suit with her hair tied neatly in a circle on top of her head approached them with a bright smile.

     "How can I help you, Handsome and Handsomer?" She looked at Daniel and then Seongwoo. She smiled wider and bat her eyes at Seongwoo, her cheeks flushing in that way that meant the disease was coming on as it did with others.

     Daniel narrowed his eyes as he put his arm around Seongwoo's shoulder to subtly let her know the 'handsomer' guy was not interested or available. She wasn't fazed at all if she noticed. She brushed Seongwoo's arms and gestured for him to follow her.

     "We just got in a new collection of gold watches. I think they will suit your skin tone nicely."

     She boldly took Seongwoo's hand and pulled up his shirt sleeve, looking at his wrist. Daniel was glaring at her. Seongwoo felt uncomfortable but didn't object because he wasn't sure if this was normal at this kind of store or not. He figured Daniel would protect him if he felt it was necessary but, though he didn't seem to like the girl and was openly glaring at her hands, he didn't stop her.

     "You have such soft skin. Tell me your secret," she giggled, brushing her fingers along his pale wrist in a flirty fashion.

     "Um...soap and lotion..?" Seongwoo replied hesitantly, not thinking he could say honestly that it was because he was a clean obsessed cat that groomed himself regularly with his tongue.

     She took a watch from a glass display case and put it on Seongwoo's wrist, lingering to touch his wrist some more. Then she held his hand between hers and squealed as she looked down.

     "It's perfect on you. It looks even better than the model in our catalogue. I think we need a picture. Mark, let's use him as our new model!"

     A red-haired guy who looked like he was of mixed Korean and white nationality came over. He brightened and looked at Seongwoo with that same delightedly surprised, dazy eye look Seongwoo was used to seeing many humans get when they first came across him. Apparently, his looks were still considered unique even in the fashion world.

     "Wow, he's a hottie. Are you a model, sir? You are right, I can tell. Name your agency so we can call and request you for our business."

     "Sorry, he's not a model," Daniel cut in.

     "Oh, well you certainly should be," the man and woman said together after sharing a surprised look.

     "Can you model for us? We will give you five hundred on the spot."

     Seongwoo looked at Daniel because genuinely he didn't understand amounts of money since his family had never used it. Daniel seemed shocked, his mouth dropped open and his eyes bugged out.

     "You will give that much?! Seongwoo, do it. We can buy something here with that money!"

     "Oh, well we can trade you this watch then. It costs six hundred, but we can forget about the difference if you give us your number so we can use your body again."

     "Hey, there will be nothing inappropriate. If you want to take pictures of him, you've got to go through procedures with me first. I'm his manager and we want to keep things professional and normal."

     Seongwoo smiled wide, then turned and nodded at the pair with a serious face. He loved that Daniel looked out for him and even lied and made up stories. He loved when Daniel did his manager act.

     "Exactly as he said. You need to go through my manager first since I'm without an a...agen..agency yet."

     "We just want a picture of the watch. Maybe one shot with his face, if you approve of us putting it up near this display. Of course, we will not give out any of your personal information."

     "Daniel, what do you think?" He asked with a haughty look.

     "Well, you don't have a job or much money now, as you said. It's just a couple harmless pictures for a generous amount of money. If you are okay with your pictures being on display, then I say go for it," he shrugged and smiled with encouragement.

     Seongwoo was getting the feeling Daniel liked money. Money was a good thing, that much he knew. With money, he could buy his own clothes so he didn't have to take Jisung's clothes. He could buy a present for Daniel in return for all the fifts he gave him thus far.

     "Okay, I will do it, but I don't want this watch. I want a watch for my boyfriend instead. Can you pick a suitable, nice one out for him?"

     Daniel blushed and grinned, pinching his arm as if to say 'Aw, you called me your boyfriend in public for the first time, I'm so flattered. Yet also embarassed...'

     "Sure, I can! Come right this way, mister lucky boyfriend!"

 

 

     Then, it was Daniel's turn to be with the flirty, overly friendly, super touchy feely woman. He seemed uncomfortable with her just as Seongwoo had, flashing a look as if to say 'ew females, save me, just so you know I don't enjoy this, I prefer your touches and I expect you to thoroughly cleanse me later.'

     "So, you guys are really an item? I thought you looked cute together. Sucks how all the hot guys are gay in Seoul. Doesn't it, Mark?"

     "Sucks for you, rules for me, you mean darling Wendy," the mixed Korean guy in the suit jokingly retorted as he fiddled with a camera.

     "If they were single, who would you date?" She chatted as she put several watches of different colors and styles against Daniel's skin with a judgemental eye on his arm.

     "Oh, definitely the broad-shouldered, muscular blonde hottie. Totally my type."

     She tsked her tongue, looking at Daniel's face dismissively, and then looking over at Seongwoo with awe. She let out a sigh and blushed.

     "If I was a guy, I would be all over the tall, pretty brunette. He's dreamy. The blonde isn't nearly as handsome."

     Seongwoo felt offended by her comment. He came to Daniel's defense, placing a hand on his shoulder.

     "Hey, no one on earth is hotter, handsomer, or dreamier than my boyfriend. He's funny, smart, and super caring, and sweet too. He's got a great body, he can dance, sing, do tricks on bikes, ride a skateboard. You would be lucky to find anyone half as awesome as my Daniel. But he's mine, so even if you change your mind, you cannot have him because he's all mine."

    Daniel chuckled and looked over his shoulder, his cheeks pink, and his eyes full of love and affection. He looked like he did when he really wanted kisses. Seongwoo leaned in to kiss him, smiling affectionately as well, but then he noticed the couple was watching them curiously and recalled Daniel's no kissing in public rule.

     Darn human society and their rules. Why can't you kiss someone you like anytime, anywhere you want? Why cann't guys be affectionate, why is it frowned upon?

     Daniel pulled back, giving him a look that promised he would reward him for sticking up for him with a sweet kiss later. Seongwoo's mood was majorly pacified. He took his hand off his boyfriend reluctantly and let the girl go back to her work, aware that she was touching the human a bit more now. Apparently, his speech had convinced the girl to be his fan as well.

     The guy beckoned him over. Seongwoo held out his arm with the gold watch still on it as instructed. The man moved his arm around and took pictures of the watch from various angles, humming, "Pretty, pretty, your hands are so pretty and white, those long elegant fingers. Your boyfriend is really lucky being loved with those hands."

     Seongwoo blushed and giggled. The man chuckled, looking at his face thoughtfully.

     "Seems you really adore him. Ah, I love that honeymoon stage when all you do is date and have sex and cuddle."

     Yeah, it's great indeed, except the part where we are unfortunately really far away from having sex. Now I'm thinking about it and wishing it would happen again. Why did Daniel insist they take it slow, making him suffer? 

     "Um.. Usually how long do guys...um, date before they um...go all the way?" He whispered, glancing over at Daniel to make sure he was unaware and distracted.

     "Oh wow, you mean you guys haven't yet? The way you're all possessive of each other and with all these charged sexual sparks flying between you, I totally thought you had several times already."

     "Oh no, not yet but I want to. He's taking it slow apparently. How do you get a guy to um...speed up the process, you know?"

     "Well, I don't think it would take much from you. You can already cut the sexual tension with a knife. Just show some skin, press against him, stroke his thigh and tell him you want to be more intimate. I have a feeling he would jump right on the opportunity. Dating a guy looking like you, well that will make a man perpetually horny. I bet it would be the best sex ever."

     "Does sex...feel good? It sounds kind of painful..." He whispered curiously, excited that he found a gay guy he could talk to alone about all of this stuff he was wondering about.

     "Ah, how precious. You're still a virgin by some miracle. If your boyfriend loves you, he will be gentle and take care of you, so it will be a bareable kind of pain. Then, you will experience a pleasurable feeling beyond anything you've ever felt."

     Seongwoo beamed with excitement at his positive explanation. "Oh, really...The more I hear, the more I want to try."

     "Hmm, maybe he's just not getting the right signals from you, so he thinks you're not ready. I will give you some tips on seduction..."

 

 

     Several minutes later, Daniel came over with a silver circular watch with lots of fancy black dials inside. He frowned, stepping between them, and pushing Seongwoo back, cutting off their whispering session.

     "What are you discussing?" He asked with an angry, accusing tone.

     Seongwoo had a feeling that this was what jealousy was. He looks adorable, jealousy suits my cutesome mate well. 

     "I was just getting some fashion tips."

     "Oh, so how did you like your first modeling experience?"

     "Hm, it's pretty fun. Taking pictures is an easy way to make money. I wouldn't mind taking more of those kind of jobs."

     "Look at the pictures," the man commented excitedly.

     Daniel looked at the camera screen, an expression full of pride and of being impressed as he got to where Seongwoo's profile was attached, the watched arm lifted to brush his chin, forehead, lips or touch his neck.

     Daniel got excited about it. "It looks really great, Seongwoo. Honestly, not just saying that out of politeness. You look like you've been doing this for years. What do you think? Do you think he could be a model?"

     "He's a natural. He even moves like a model. We thought he was a professional right away."

     The girl nodded eagerly. "You are one thousand percent model material. I know some agencies. All you have to do is send some photos and take an audition interview. You would get accepted into all of them guaranteed. They will hook you up with all kinds of jobs that match your schedule and preferences."

     Daniel asked for the information and she gave him cards with various fashion and modeling related agencies. Seongwoo didn't understand much of what was going on. He was getting distracted looking at Daniel's hands on those cards.

     That silver watch looked fantastic on his wrist and matched his skin tone amazingly. Seongwoo had never noticed how attractive and expressive his boyfriend's hands were. They were strong yet gentle, his fingers thick, long, tan, soft skinned. Seongwoo blushed as he imagined being those cards, being gripped and stroked by those fingers on his arms, then his waist and his hips as they wrestled without clothes. He groaned and wiped some sweat off his forehead. A heat wave was coming on strong. He always knew from the onslaught of human mating fantasies followed by his stomach and loins aching, his body heating up, the sweat breaking out, and the groans he let out from the pain.

     Daniel noticed right away. "Are you feeling sick again, Seongwoo? Let's get you home."

     Daniel had caught him sick one time in the middle of one of their dates last week. He had tried to hide it but it was impossible to act through this enough to fool Daniel. Daniel seems to be too aware of any change in feelings, always looking at me when we're together.

     "I'm fine. It will pass in an hour or so. Let's keep looking."

     "Okay, let's get you some tea and go rest at a cafe. We can buy a book about modeling or a fashion magazine at the bookstore down the block."

     They both thanked the shopping clerks and Daniel wore the watch out after Seongwoo checked several times that it matched him perfectly.

     "Thanks for this gift, Seongwoo. It's too much though. It was a couple hundred more than both the things I got for you combined. I will have to get you something else."

    Seongwoo smiled mischievously as he got a genius idea. "Hmm, how about you make up the difference with kisses. Say...one kiss for every dollar?"

     Daniel laughed and blushed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Well, let's wait until after you're feeling better and we're in private before we start kiss one of two hundred."

     "I'm fine. Let's go now..."

     "You are not. You're burning up!" Daniel felt his forehead with the back of his exceptionally cool hand. "How about we go back to my place and look at some fashion magazines until you're better then? Jisung should be at work for a few more hours so we've got the place to ourselves."

    "Ah, but..um...what about the cafe? Maybe we can find a private place to kiss there...?"

     Seongwoo realized as tempting as it was, he absolutely couldn't go to Daniel's room. He would wonder where his cat went and think that he ran away. That would worry him and ruin their whole date.

     "Ah, maybe. I know a place like that if you can handle walking twenty minutes."

    "Sure. Oh, is this the bookstore?"

 

 

     Daniel paid for a book about modeling and a few fashion magazines. "Here's another gift. So, now I owe you one hundred fifty kisses, including your coffee."

     Seongwoo pouted. "Seems like you don't want kisses anymore..."

    Daniel grabbed his hand and squeezed, taking the bag because he never let Seongwoo carry things on his own(Daniel insisted he was too pretty and fragile to do any kind of physical labor).

     "Believe me, Seongwoo, that isn't the case. It's just that more than a few kisses make me sick already, you know, purely from happiness. I'm probably going to go crazy if you give me that many at once. Not too many in the cafe either, since it's still embarassing getting sick in public. Let's divide the leftover cost of kisses out."

     Seongwoo looked at him with sympathy. "Is being horny that terrible?"

     Daniel stopped walking on the street and started coughing harshly. He bent over, covering his mouth and beating his chest. Seongwoo patted his back in comfort, thinking Daniel really needed to go see a doctor about this. Daniel stood up and gaped at him, stuttering unintelligibly with his finger pointing at him.

      Seongwoo threw out his hands in frustration. "What? Did I do something wrong again? Is that why you're coughing?"

     "Seongwoo! Where did you learn that word?"

     "From Jaehwan! When you went to the bathroom suddenly I was worried about if you're sick. He, Sungwoon, and Jisung explained that you caught a case of horny. Apparently, if you kiss often, you get so happy that it makes you sick and that sickness's name is horny. I'm sorry that I made you get horny, but I don't know how bad it is since I've never felt that way. What are the symptoms? At least let me help you feel better. I want to take care of you when you're sick too. That's only natural as we're mates and we care about one another. Do you get a fever? Do you get itchy? Do you throw up? I can help you scratch and clean up the mess..."

    "Woah, woah, Seongwoo stop, you don't know what you're talking about!" Daniel shouted over him, putting his hands out with his palms up.

     Seongwoo crossed his arms and pouted, glaring down at the cement of the sidewalk, feeling his eyes sting with tears. His heart was in sharp pain now, his body shaking like a leaf and tense. Daniel had never yelled or lost his patience with him before, and it shook him up.

     "I want you to drop this right now. I'm not going to explain what being horny is like. When I make you happy enough to feel that way, you will just know. As for what you can do to relieve it, let's just say it is connected to the sex I explained and neither of us is ready for that. We need to know each other better and feel stronger affection over a couple more weeks at least. I told you that I wanted to take things slow, so I can't talk to you about this stuff yet. I will tell you later and show you how to relieve the symptoms of being horny when we're both feeling that way. Down the road when you're ready. That's when we can talk about it again, only then when I approve of it. I need you to understand that and be patient, hmm?"

     At first, his owner's voice was angry. Then, it gradually faded to frustration. Luckily, the last few sentences were spoken softly as he brushed Seongwoo's arms and attempted to smile kindly. Seongwoo didn't feel as frightened or anxious. He just regretted bringing up a topic he now knew was off limits for them.

   "Daniel, okay, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was connected to that. I won't bring it up again. I just don't like the idea of you being ill because of me. Can't we kiss without you feeling ill? I hate this, not being able to be affectionate with you...."

     Daniel leaned forward and wrapped his arm around him, wiping a tear off his cheek. His voice grew softer and apologetic.

     "Shit, I made you cry. Sorry I yelled at you, Seongwoo. I was just a bit taken aback and frustrated. Of course you couldn't know about it. I promise I will explain it someday. And it's a minor sickness. I'm not throwing up. I just get um...hot and uncomfortable and tense and kind of tingly."

     "Why do you have to go to the bathroom then? I thought you were throwing up."

     Daniel brushed his head and caressed his cheek with his thumb when the boy sniffled. "I'm just, um, putting water on my face and err...itching and err.. stretching the tension out..."

     Seongwoo nodded and hummed as he pondered over what he said. "It's a strange sickness. I've never heard of anything like that in my country."

     "Ah, I know how to explain it. You know about animals right? Once a year, they get a heat cycle, right? They feel sick and look for a mate. When they find a mate, they mate with them, and they feel better after they've mated several times. The heat cycle is a sign given to them from their bodies that they want to mate and create babies. Being horny is kind of like that heat cycle. But it's not as strong of a feeling and we can get it all year round when we kiss someone we like especially."

     "Wait... Animals get a heat cycle at a specific time but you're telling me that humans call that feeling horny and they can get it anytime and so they can mate and have babies any time as well?"

    Seongwoo thought about how horrible it would feel to have the feelings he had recently any random time throughout your life as an adult. He could get through it knowing it was temporary. However, imagining for Daniel, who never knew when it would come across and not having ever had a mate to relieve it, made him feel terrible.

     "Aw, you poor thing. I will try not to make you get horny ever again," he promised, wrapping his arms around Daniel's broad shoulders and squeezing tightly. I will never ask him for more kisses than he's capable of handling again.

     Daniel hugged around his waist and ran his fingers through his hair like he often stroked his fur, which made him softly purr. His deep chuckle sounded, making Seongwoo's chest slightly vibrate.

     "Sorry, but it's impossible for you to control. I would have to talk to you from at least a three foot radius and our faces would need to be covered with masks."

     "Oh, I don't like the sound of that. I'm flattered knowing that I don't even need kisses to make you that happy. But I want to see you and touch you. Can't you take some pill?"

     "They haven't invented one for it yet, nope. That would solve a lot of issues in the world."

     "Aw, bummer... So, what should we do then?"

     Daniel chuckled again, pulling back and cupping his face. "We don't have to do anything. It's completely out of our hands to stop as long as we're together. And I'm certainly not going to give up the first mate I've been waiting years for. Someday, I'll make you feel horny and then eventually we will relieve the symptoms together, in private when we've got a whole night to spend alone."

     Seongwoo smiled shyly and blushed, really liking the sound of that now that he knew the relieving part was somehow connected to sex and it was going to last all night. He wished it would be able to stop his heat wave issues too but he wasn't sure if mating with a human instead of another shifter would have the same effect.

     Would they even be able to? Maybe there would be something wrong or missing since they were different species. He wasn't sure if his body was the same as other humans since he'd only seen himself naked. Though everything seemed pretty much the same as those mates on the video, so chances were Daniel's human body had all the same necessary parts. He felt hot and uncomfortably tingly again as he thought about him and Daniel in various positions, kissing with their tongues tangling, and their lower bodies shifting and rocking together in the mating ritual called sex.

     I really want to know, darnit. Why do we have to take it slow? Aren't we affectionate and close enough already? We've talked a lot had a ton of dates, touched hundreds of times, and kissed several times. How can I convince him that I'm ready to do it and that waiting is bad for both of us because it's clearly keeping us sick? Isn't it better to relieve the symptoms as soon as possible?

 

 

     They held hands again as they walked towards the cafe. They both remained silent, lost in their own fantasies, dealing with their own sicknesses, and blushing whenever the other stole a sideways glance. Seongwoo finally got the courage to say what he had been rehearsing in his mind.

     "Daniel, I've been waiting three years to finally mate. It's getting more difficult each year. Don't make me wait too long..."

     Daniel looked down, covering a huge smile that suddenly spread across his tomato red face. He nervously laughed.

     "I won't. It's been a long, hard wait for me too, believe me. In fact, I'm tempted to invite you over again to my place right now. But I am going to do our first time right and be a gentleman. I want us to really feel comfortable and close first. When the time is right, Seongwoo, I will definitely let you know. Don't think that I don't want to or I'm intentionally being mean by making you wait. You've got to stop bringing it up or it's going to crack my resolve though. It's dangerous for someone gorgeous and naturally sensual to say things so forwardly like that."

     Seongwoo's ears perked up. So, Daniel did want to mate with him and he had a hard time waiting as well. He might just be able to convince him to speed their first mating time up and fulfill his curiosities if he kept asking for it. He recalled the seduction tips and decided to put one into use today when the timing was right. He pretended to drop the topic for now.

     "That's very sweet of you. Thank you for caring about me. I agree and I will wait for you to give me a sign. I won't bring it up again."

     Daniel narrowed his eyes, judging his face which Seongwoo used all of his acting skills to make his expression serious yet sweetly innocent by widening and batting his eyes. Daniel let out a sigh and ran his hand through his blond locks, which today Jisung had used this hot little black claw-like machine to straighten. The look was attractive on him in a different way. It made him look older, more serious, and clean cut. He'd shaved finally too, though Seongwoo had honestly been rather enjoying himself scratching his head against the spiky rough stubble Daniel had had on his chin when he was in his cat form.

     Daniel had spent a lot of time at the library, so Seongwoo had only been able to see him at night most of this week. No matter how tired he was and stressed from his test studying, however, Daniel always pet, brushed, cuddled, and played with him for a couple of hours before he slept. He talked about how much he hated his major and how he missed his boyfriend, who he had told he wouldn't bother much during exam week since they both had to study. That had really touched Seongwoo and made him love the boy more so he had been extra sweet and playful with him.

     Daniel got their drinks and after he sat down, Seongwoo moved to sit next to him. He had pulled the collar of his shirt down past his chest mole and taken off his jacket. He sat in a way that would make his exposed chest stick out right in Daniel's vision and put his hand on the boy's knee. He slid his hand up the human's leg while looking at the blonde with what he hoped was considered a 'sexy, come-hither' look and 'come bed me, lusty' eyes(he was imitating what he recalled the guy was doing earlier as best he could).

     Daniel gulped and bit his bottom lip, staring wide-eyed at the pale, graceful hand as it slowly traveled up his leg. "Uh, um, Seongwoo...What are you doing all of a sudden...?" He squeaked out in a state of panic.

     "Nothing. I can't just touch your leg?" Seongwoo asked with an innocent tone, sliding his hand to the inner side and squeezing near the junction where the two legs met just as the guy had told him.

     Apparently, this spot was the second most effective at getting a male to be unable to resist mating. The first was just a few inches up, but he was supposed to save that for a last resort the guy had instructed. Daniel inhaled sharply and tensed. He stuttered something, then stopped as his eyes traveled to Seongwoo's exposed collar. He sank back into the chair with a look of painful torture, a groan slipping out of his throat Seongwoo recognized.

     Yes, my first seduction attempt is working fabulously. Daniel has that look in his eyes like he really wants to kiss me. My favorite look of all.

     They were in a corner room and the high sofas allowed mostly privacy. The only people could see them were at a table far away and they were absorbed in some conversation that apparently the taller, dark haired guy found hilarious and made the shorter one embarrassed.

     Seongwoo slid closer to Daniel, putting their faces temptingly closer. Daniel gulped and slid back in stubborn resistance, but it was a weak attempt. Seongwoo chuckled with a mischievous smirk and followed stubbornly. Daniel groaned and closed his eyes as the shifter rubbed his thumb on his inner thigh.

     "What are you doing Seongwoo? We just talked about this. We need..."

     "...to take it slow. I know. And I am. But we should still progress a bit now we're dating, don't you think? We've been at a standstill for two weeks, Dan. Let's make out a bit at least. I have been really wanting to try that," he whispered, trying to be what the guy had called 'seductive.'

     Daniel tilted his head and smiled slightly, staring longingly at his lips like he was almost about to lose his grip on his self-control finally.

     "Did you hear that word from my friends too?" he asked with apprehension.

      "Yes and also from a movie. It's natural for mates to make out, right? Can't we just try it once? Is that too much? How about I make one time count as thirty normal kisses? Then you don't owe me after five."

     "Seongwoo-yah, I don't think you're ready for that...." Daniel hesitated, leaning closer like he couldn't help but be drawn to him when he turned on his charm.

     Seongwoo pouted, pushing his head forward more, so they were just an inch away. Daniel licked his lip and gulped again, sweat beading on his forehead, his eyes darkened and dialated, the sign that meant he was excited and getting horny. Seongwoo was not going to let him go to the bathroom today though. Not until he'd finally gotten some progresse made in their sexual relationship. He was not going to wait months after finding a mate to experience what everyone else tried and made fun of them for not doing. He really felt like they were missing out on something incredible.

     "I'm ready, Dan. Please. Just try one time, for me..." he begged and turned on the sweet yet sad desperate, teary look Daniel couldn't resist.

     Daniel let out a shaky sigh and braced his body to lean forward, his hand grabbing part of Seongwoo's neck and jaw firmly as if to easily control the direction he moved. "Okay, just one, but I sure hope you're ready to open these floodgates that cannot be closed again..."

     Seongwoo smiled with delight and closed his eyes as he sensed his boyfriend coming closer. Their lips warmly and softly brushed together, lingering for several seconds between each gentle, sweet peck. Daniel held Seongwoo steady as he pushed their lips together. Seongwoo was squealing delightfully inside, his heart jumping, his stomach doing tingly, heated summersaults. This kiss was different than any of their previous ones. It was full of promise and made him excited. Daniel opened his lips and Seongwoo followed. They pressed their open mouths together gentle and catious, almost as if their lips were embracing top to bottom and vice versa.

     Then, Daniel's wet tongue pressed to Seongwoo's bottom lip and slid along it like he was tasting him curiously. The shifter shivered with excitement and pleasure and felt the room get suddenly boiling hot. His insides felt like they were writhing, his jeans felt tight as his lower body suddenly grew tense and tingly, his mind turned white and he felt dizzy as he forgot how to breath.

     He pictured when he had seen Mandu and Emperor making out and thought about what they did step by step. He pressed his tongue out and curiously licked along Daniel's upper lip. His boyfriend excitedly pressed their lips more firmly together afterwards, drawing in his lower lip and sucking on it. Then, Seongwoo brushed the tip of his tongue against the other. Daniel lifted the tip of his tongue to brush against his.

     Seconds flew by as they tongue wrestled and explored the other's lips. Seongwoo mimicked what he had seen done as well as what Daniel had just done to him and Daniel followed along, responding sweet yet eagerly. Seongwoo switched the angle of their heads a few times and pushed and pulled, so their tongues switched homes back and forth. Daniel responded positively every time he moved, getting more intense, his tongue faster, his lips more demanding. Seongwoo tried hard to figure out what his lover's body was asking for and give and give his all to satisfy those desires. He felt total bliss doing that becausee he was making Daniel happy.

 

 

     Daniel pulled back all of a sudden and collapsed on the couch, slightly panting. They were both red faced, sweat beading on their foreheads, their breathing shallow and shaky, their lips swollen dark pink and wet with saliva.

     "Wow...are you sure that was your first time? I think you lied to me. That was... Wow.. That was just too wow. I can't even remember Korean," Daniel chuckled, his eyes hazy like he had experienced too much sensation at once to be functioning.

     Seongwoo smugly licked his lips which tasted like Daniel still, then wiped the wetness. Well, it had been quite messy and slippery, but he had certainly enjoyed it. He wouldn't mind getting a bit messy and dirty if it felt that good and entertaining. Though he was feeling sick again. He thought about how he was feeling and he noticed their jeans had a similar lump and they were both sweaty and red.

     "Ah...so this is how it feels..." He murmured shakily.

     "Hmm? Did it not feel incredible to you? Sorry, it's honestly my first. Can't expect me to be very good at it yet. You struck me out of the blue too, so I wasn't mentally prepared like our first kiss. It's the sort of thing that requires practice. I know that was a bit awkward and maybe a disappointment..."

     "No, that's not it. Of course it was the same for me as for you. It wasn't that wierd. It felt like we were right for each other, like our lips match like puzzle pieces somehow. Made for each other. What I meant was I feel the sickness you were talking about before. I'm so happy that it hurts and I feel all tingly. It makes me itchy here between my legs and I'm hot enough to sweat. That means I'm horny too! I can get horny, right? Or is that just a hu...Korean thing?"

     Daniel busted out laughing, covering his smile with his hand, and warmly patting Seongwoo's leg. "Good to hear. For a second there, I was upset because I thought only I was attracted here. But is it something to be so excited about? Its a frustrating, uncomfortable feeling no one wishes to have."

     "Well, yeah, but I kind of... somehow, I like it... " Seongwoo flushed deeply as he admitted it, somehow feeling shy.

     Was it wierd for him to like something that was considered a sickness? Did that make him a freak? Was he supposed to hate it? He liked it because it made him feel human and it was something they could share...

     "I don't really hate it either, honestly. In a way, it makes you feel alive and thrilled. It's normal to have mixed feelings about it. Relieving it will make you feel a million times better."

     "Can we..." Seongwoo suggested brightly, sitting up with excitement.

     "Nope~ Be patient, pretty boy. We're not ready for any relieving just yet," Daniel stopped him right before he could ask wearing an amused, irritating, teasing grin.

     Seongwoo pouted and crossed his arms, glaring at the forgotten cup of iced latte on the table. "Meanie! Dum Dum!"

     Daniel rested his elbow on the table and his chin on his palm so he could get a better look at his boyfriend's upset face. He kept smiling huge in this silly, sweet way.

     "You're so cute and loveable it's ridiculous," he murmured warmly and pinched Seongwoo's cheek.

     Seongwoo refused to cave today, even when Daniel started winking, pursing his lips, and then tickling him to get him to cheer up.

     "Hey, I'm sorry, really sorry, don't be upset anymore, I miss your pretty smile," Daniel whined with his thick accent, hugging around his shoulders and shaking him.

     Seongwoo found it hard to resist after that and couldn't stop smiling.

 

 

     "Excuse me..." They both looked up at the sound of a soft voice coming to interrupt their sweet lover's quarrel, still hugging close.

    Daniel eyed the person after politely bowing, his arm still protectively perched over Seongwoo's shoulder and drawing him a bit tighter to his chest. But Seongwoo knew this wasn't a bad person. He had some idea why he was approaching them.

     The unusually handsome boy with big eyes, a round, attractive face, shaggy brown hair, and strange patterned, neon colored clothes had a particular, familiar aura about him. Shifters could sense each other's auras and if you met enough, you could tell what clan they came from. Each family or clan of shifters turned into different animals. He hadn't seen enough to be able to tell that exactly just by their auras they emitted in human form. But he could see an outline of pink light, suggesting he was definitely supernatural. His own outline could be seen as a limey green, like the color of his eyes in his cat form.

     "Sorry to interrupt your date for a short second. I just noticed you from across the room and wanted to introduce myself. My name is....

 

To Be Continued....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know your thoughts about what other Wanna One member just appeared. There's some more answers revealed about shifters here. One, again just a reminder they can get horny in their human form and their heat cycles do get stronger as they get older and come more frequently. Two, there are other shifter families that change into different animal forms and they radiate an aura in human form.
> 
> As for what is going on with Ongniel here, there's lots of things that show where I'm professing with this plot and their relationship. As many have asked over the weeks, I feel it's okay to let you know finally. Yes, Seongwoo will be working as a model. Yes, Ongniel will have a sexual relationship but the actual deed will be much later towards the end of this story. The smut until then is merely suggestive for comical effect, designed to leave them wanting for many chapters more, I think they are funny when they're specially frustrated and perverted.
> 
> I'm slightly worried that you feel like they might be progressing too fast here now that they're dating and started progressing physically with the first major step. In my defense, these are their first relationships and they like each other a ton and have no real reason not to express how they're feeling openly. I think most people are quick to say I love you and get physical with a crush before they experience pain which makes them apprehensive about falling deeply too fast. Then again, Ongniel see each other as soulmates they have been waiting twenty years to meet, so that plays a factor, their relationship is a lot more than a first love crush. They're destined to be together forever(not saying there's not going to be angst and issues later though). That's why I just naturally have them progressing pretty fast until now, but from here they will go pretty slow because drama will soon be getting in the way. 
> 
>  
> 
> The next chapter will have the appearances of most(not quite all yet)of the Wanna One maknae line, some humans and some as shifters(Jihoon, Guanlin, Jinyoung, Daehwi, BoA, Cheetah will be appearing finally). They will become important friends of Seongwoo and give him such much needed advice and significant information about human X shifter interactions. It will probably just be two chapters since that's all I have planned for now, but who knows later on, down the road they might appear here and there. See you around a week!


	20. Making New Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seongwoo officially makes new friends and starts his path to a modeling career. He also further tortures Daniel by experimenting with the tips he got about how to deal with being 'horny' sick.

 "My name is Jihoon. Let's be friends!"

     Seongwoo shook the shifter's little hand though Daniel whispered for him not to. He apparently thought it was strange and the boy couldn't be trusted.

     "I have a special sixth sense for these things, don't worry. He's not a bad person, I just feel it. I need friends in this city besides yours, right?" he whispered back, chiding him gently.

     Daniel shut up at that, merely watching them interact with sharp eyes, body tensed in case of any danger.

     "Are you new here? Do you have a job yet?" Jihoon smiled brightly, taking a seat across from the cat shifter.

     Seongwoo smiled in a friendly way back, liking how Jihoon was really bright and sweet. He gave off very good, trustworthy, likable vibes. "I'm a student. But no job yet."

      "Do you want one? I'm a model. I bet the agency will love you. Here, take this business card. Come to this tomorrow. We're having auditions."

     "Oh, wow! I was just thinking of doing that."

     Jihoon explained that he approached because he was passing by and noticed their books. "You're perfect. Exactly what our company is looking for. Please stop by. You won't regret it and you will pass in just five minutes. The staff is kind, they're quick at getting you jobs. They make sure it's nothing wierd and they always pay on time."

     Daniel took the business card Jihoon offered with a frown. Then, he searched the agency with his phone.

     "I'm going to make sure it's legit. If you want to try out, then that's fine. But I'm going on all of your jobs to make sure you're safe. There's lots of wierdos in the city and you don't have a phone in case of an emergency, which really worries me. You could get assaulted or kidnapped. I will be your manager and you're only allowed to go with me."

     Jihoon kept softly smiling and nodded like he thought it was a fine idea. "That's fine. We have managers too. I always go with my boyfriend these days in case something happens. We're a set. The agency allows it. He's pretty protective of me."

     The shifter's friend at hand suddenly came up to his side as if he had been waiting expectantly for Jihoon to call his name casually. He was tall, thin, and lanky in a graceful, natural way, his professionaly styled, long hair black and wavy, his face even more handsome than Jihoon in an exotic, chiseled, chic way. He also had the a similar aura that marked him as a shifter but his was a soft, sunset orange. He sat, bowed, and shook their hands with a cool, slightly kind, slightly arrogant smile. He leaned back with grace, stretching his long legs out to the side. He kissed Jihoon on the cheek and then pat his leg, his smile growing wider and genuinely warm and soft only when he looked at his mate.

     "This is Guanlin. He's not talkative. He doesn't really know much Korean, so I'm teaching him. Hey, introduce yourself. I told you lots before, but it's rude not to!"

    Guanlin made a disgruntled face like he really disliked talking but disliked even more making his mate angry by not obeying. He spoke in broken Korean, his dark, large, heavily lidded eyes seeming to see into their souls, "Nice to meet you. I'm a foreigner. I can't speak Korean well. Isn't my Jihoon adorable?"

     Jihoon turned pink and giggled, smacking the dark haired shifter's chest in a flirty, flattered yet embarassed kind of fashion. "Guanlin, this is Seongwoo. He's going to join our agency soon."

     "Cool. He's handsome. I'd do him in a heartbeat. Well, if I hadn't met my Ji Ji first, that is."

     Daniel glared daggers as the man lecherously looked Seongwoo up and down with a widening grin, then met the shifter's eyes and winked seductively.

     "He's taken, so there will be no 'doing' of any sort there, you pervy punk. I'm his boyfriend and manager and now I will make certain you are never alone in the same room."

     Seongwoo laughed brightly, patting the leg of his snappy, literally growling like a Maltese boyfriend for him to calm down. He's so cute when he's possessive, protective, and jealous. Ah, I want to make out again. If only we were alone right now.

    "Guanlin, control yourself and say nice things when you first meet someone. How many times have we been over this lesson..." Jihoon scolded lightly in a whisper, but the dark haired man looked more smug and proud of himself than reflective on his rude actions.

     Seongwoo bowed and humbly said, "Thank you for the compliment. I only hope the people at your agency will think so as well. I should start studying these magazines then to see how I should pose for auditions. Maybe I will see you tomorrow."

     They stood up to say goodbye. Jihoon grabbed on to Seongwoo's hand excitedly and shook it up and down. "Oh yeah, we may be there if a job doesn't come up last minute. I'm so excited already. I always love getting new friends."

     Seongwoo beamed at him, bouncing up and down with their shaking hands in barely contained excitement. "Me too! But I haven't been out much yet so I don't have many. Let's hang out and chat later at the agency."

    "Great! When you get a phone, let's exchange numbers too so we can call and text. We can do a double date on the weekend."

     Daniel didn't seem pleased about that. It seemed he wasn't fond of these two, especially Guanlin who was smirking as he looked them both up and down as if he was judging their looks and fashion, then imagining what their bodies looked like underneath. He seemed like he was about to comment something that would set Daniel on a defensive edge again. Seongwoo jumped in to stop his comment as soon as he opened his smirking, crooked, thin lips.

     "I would love that. Did you hear that, Dan? I've got to get a phone so I can chat with friends. You will help me, right?" He asked as cheerfully as he could, trying to salvage the darkening atmosphere.

   Daniel smiled at him, looking apologetic for his behaviour. He just got bad vibes from Guanlin and he didn't really like how touchy Jihoon was with a person he just met. They gave off the vibe of people with a creepy van they were going to kidnap Seongwoo with.

     "Sure, you can with your first paycheck. One step at at time though, Seongwoo. You've got to get the job first."

      "Ah right. Can you give me pointers how to be a good model?" Seongwoo turned to Jihoon with his sparkling, pretty please eyes that were impossible for any human to resist.

     "For you, gorgeous? You don't need to do anything but stand there, trust me. You look like a photo spread of Elle right now. Sexy enough to find in the men's bathroom," Guanlin smiled and winked again, looking over his body once more in a slow, appreciative way.

     Daniel and Seongwoo looked to Jihoon, expecting him to have some reaction at the open display of affection. Jihoon didn't seem phased by the flirting as long as it wasn't making the others uncomfortable, like he was used to it and trusted his boyfriend totally. That showed their relationship was stable and they probably had been together a long time. Daniel couldn't understand on Earth why though. He could never like a guy like that, flippant and always goofing around.

     "Don't worry about it, really. You will pass with flying colors. Then, I will teach you all the technical stuff I know before your first job, promise!" Jihoon exclaimed brightly, flashing a toothy, pearly smile that was rather blinding.

     "Great, thanks! You're so sweet."

     The shorter shifter jumped on him with a friendly, tight hug. Seongwoo hugged him back warmly, enjoying his new friend's enthusiasm and affectionate nature.

     "He's even sweeter in bed..." Guanlin butted in with a husky, deep tone, running his hand down Jihoon's back and spanking his bottom. Seongwoo and Daniel dropped their mouths open in a similar shocked fashion. 

     "Guanlin, stop being naughty in front of my new friends!" Jihoon squealed and giggled, catching his boyfriend's hand and jumping away from Seongwoo.

     "Woops, what a bad, bad hand. You leave Jihoon's fine ass alone in public, now. It's got a mind of its own, I swear. It's just drawn to you like a magnet," Guanlin joked, smacking his limp hand like it was a bad puppy's nose.

     Jihoon blushed, looking embarrassed and apologetic as he bowed. "Excuse him. He's not from around here. In his country, they can be a lot more open and touchy. I'm used to it but at first it can be hard to get used to. I apologize for his inappropriate behavior. I would say he's not usually like this, but I disapprove of lying, so I will tell you straight up that unfortunately he is. It's lovable in it's own way. Or at least I find it so....Guanlin-ah, now you behave!"

     Guanlin bowed in apology and smiled in a cool way with a mischievous twinkle in his huge, deep set, dark circled like a panda eyes. It seemed he often broke the rules on purpose to make Jihoon uncomfortable. Well, Seongwoo had to admit he was cute when he was flustered and pink. Guanlin must enjoy making him that way, so he went out of his way to get an embarrassed reaction.

    He sounded amused and rather insincere as he spoke, "Sorry, I'm a foreigner. I don't understand Korean customs."

     Daniel rolled his eyes in utter irritation. He was biting his lip from saying something nasty it seemed. Guanlin smirked at him in a playful, challenging kind of way. Their eyes didn't leave each other and Jihoon and Seongwoo looked back and forth between them with worried expressions. It seemed like charged waves were buzzing violently between their eyes.

 

 

     "They're a cute pair. Isn't Guanlin funny and Jihoon so nice?" Seongwoo asked, giggling after the two shifters had left, Gualin wrapping his arm and whispering something apparently naughty in the shorter guy's ear, which earned him a flush and a giggle.

    Daniel answered with a clipped tone, "Yeah, sure they are, whatever."

     "What's wrong? You don't like them?" Seongwoo pouted with disappointment.

     Daniel shrugged and grimaced. "Eh... just don't really trust them. Weren't they too friendly? And they came out of the blue, offering you a job. In the city, you learn to be suspicious of people like that."

     "Well, maybe they saw something in me that allows us to click on another level," he replied, secretly smiling.

     Of course, that was what happened. They were cousins in a way, rare supernatural species. Of course shifters were going to want to stick together. He was surprised at how kind, expressive, cool, friendly, and funny they were. Much more likeable than the cat shifters. He already liked them and couldn't wait to talk to them more. He wanted to hear about their experiences and get advice about the human world they had apparently been living in for awhile.

     "Don't worry so much. I think they are nice people we can trust."

     Daniel sighed, his face looking tired and strained.

     "You're so naive and overly trusting. I mean it's what I like about you, but it also is what makes me worried. Seongwoo, you just don't know enough about the world. The nicest people are actually the meanest and creepiest. That's why I'm going to go with you. I'm your permanent manager as long as you are interested in modeling."

    Seongwoo frowned with worry as he thought of something.  "As thrilled as I am about our time together increasing...What about your classes and homework?"

    "Well, what about yours?" Daniel shot back with a slightly amused crook to his grin and a raised golden brow.

     "Ah, right..." Seongwoo had forgotten that he was masquerading as a student who had classes in the afternoon.

     "They may work around my schedule, but you know I don't have nearly as many assignments as you do. Are you sure you can afford to skip class or miss out on work?"

     Daniel shrugged, his expression softer now and more carefree like he had no worries left and he was over the Guanlin thing. "I can just bring my school bag with me. I will have nothing to do while you're modeling, so I can just sit somewhere and do my homework there."

     Seongwoo clapped his hands excitedly. Daniel gave him permission to model, he made new friends he could hang out with, and he actually got a chance to spend even more time with his lovely mate. This is the best thing to happen since the milk man invented banana milk!  

     "Great, so I can work and you can still focus on school to keep your grades up and we can be together everyday. It's perfect, don't you think?"

     "Except we're not alone. I still owe you one hundred and twenty kisses. Don't know when we'll ever have the time..." Seongwoo sighed softly.

     "I'm sure we're not going to have a schedule all day. And there's bound to be some times we're left in a room alone, you know. Plus, we can date in our free time, right?" he assured.

     Seongwoo wanted money but he would throw away the job if it really did get in between them anyway. At least after making enough to get some clothes of his own and maybe another present for Daniel or two.

     "If it gets in the way of us dating, I will take the money and then just quit. Okay?" Seongwoo promised.

     Daniel frowned, making his dark golden, thick eyebrows furrow in a way that made him appear even handsomer than normal. Seongwoo's heart did a flip and he stopped breathing for a couple of seconds. Can any being be any more perfect?

     "I don't want you quitting because of me. This could be something you really like. It might end up being your career. It's even related to what you're studying, plus it pays well. Don't be so quick to throw away your dream just because your boyfriend gets a bit lonely."

      Seongwoo held his hands and jumped forward to sweetly pecked him on the lips, feeling brave enough recently to occasionally initiate kisses of his own. Daniel appeared shocked, then looked down with a pink face and an adorable, shy grin as usual when he did that. He giggled, thinking the strong, masculine, cool man really turned into a cute marshmallow around his human self, unlike any other time with other people.

    "That's just it. Anything that makes you lonely or unhappy cannot become my dream. Because my only dream job is making you happy."

     Daniel collapsed onto his folded arms over the table, laughing hysterically. "Aw, you're too much.... Killing me...Aw, so embarassing but I love it to death... Ah, Seongwoo... You're incredible...."

     After he contained himself to chuckles, he sat up and grabbed Seongwoo's face in his hands, brushing the shifter's cheeks gently with his thumbs. The way that Daniel looked at him was full of unbridled fondness and adoration that made him melt into a gooey puddle like the other day Minhyun had done to Jaehwan. I like him so much it actually hurts....

     "You are the sweetest boyfriend in the world. I'm glad I met you. I like you so much."

     They smiled at each other in a silly loving way. "I like you more," Seongwoo argued playfully.

     Daniel smiled in a mischievous way and rubbed their noses together. "No way, I like you more."

     "I like you the most."

     "I like you the mostest then."

     Seongwoo giggled and leaned in to kiss his lips affectionately. "This can go on forever, Dan. I like you the mostestest times infinity. Ha! Nothing beats infinity, so I win~"

     Daniel chuckled, choosing to spend the rest of the time kissing his boyfriend several more times. He then initiated a short, sweet, not quite as exciting as the first time but still terrific enough to get them horny makeout session.

     "Now I'm down to ninety," he murmured, pulling Seongwoo on to his chest for delicious hugs.

     Seongwoo snuggled into his perfect, strong yet comforting embrace, sighing in bliss as he laid his head on his chest and wrapped his arms around the other's thick waist. 

     "I better buy you a new computer next," the shifter joked with a mischievous snicker.

     Daniel scoffed and tickled his side. "Who's the meanie now?"

     "No idea what you're talking about. I'm an angel. Can't you see the halo?"

     "Oh, oops there it is," Daniel commented, pretending to flick an invisible halo above his head. 

 

 

     The next day, Daniel met Seongwoo at the school gate after their classes were over. He waved and smiled as soon as he saw Seongwoo on the street. Seongwoo ran up to him with that beaming, beautiful smile lighting his whole face up with pure happiness. That's all from me. The only thing that feels greater than loving someone is feeling loved back even more in return. He laughed and shyly brushed at spots on his face as his boyfriend trotted over to him.

     "Hey, had a good class?" He greeted warmly.

     "Yeah sure! How was yours?" Seongwoo asked brightly, stopping just before him.

     "It was boring as bricks as usual. I fell asleep on my book for most of it," Daniel admitted.

     "Aw, well, at least you could take a nap. You've been tired from studying from finals and spending all your free time with me, right?"

     "I'm never tired with you though. You're my vitamin, you always make me feel energetic," Daniel reassured with a warm tone, hinting at a small part of the feelings he felt for him.

    Then, he reached up his hand to brush Seongwoo's waved parted hair, just slightly petting the top of it because he didn't want to mess it up. Seongwoo had clearly spent time on it.

     "Hehe, really? Well that's good then. Do I look okay? Is it...modely material?" he asked unsurely.

    Daniel looked the other up and down, slow and appreciative, then asked him to spin around. His eyes lingered on Seongwoo's pert bottom for several seconds, his smile growing as naughty thoughts filled his mind.

     He commented honestly with a tone of awe, "You look amazing. You always do but today is the best look I've ever seen."

     "Oh, thank good ness," Seongwoo sighed with relief.

     "Aw, you're nervous, aren't you?"

     "No, no, why would I be... Okay, just a little bit, maybe..." Seongwoo flushed with shame.

     Daniel took his hand, squeezing with subtle reassurance, and then started walking down the street. They needed to get to the auditions within the hour and he figured going early would leave a good impression.

     "There's no reason for you to be nervous. If this agency doesn't work out, we have several other options. Let's think of this one as a trial run. Just do it for fun. No pressure. Just in case, I've got some medicene that helps with nerves and I picked up your favorite drink to cheer you up just before you go in."

     Seongwoo gave the sweetest, grateful smile that made his stomach react in funny ways. "Thanks. You are such a sweet guy."

     "According to my friends, I'm a standoffish jerk who's only sweet to you...." Daniel muttered.

     Seongwoo snorted immediately and then laughed hard for nearly a minute.

     Daniel eyed him suspiciously. "Hey, don't tell me you agree with that?"

     "Come to think of it, ever since I met you, I have only seen you be prickly to others, even your friends. Why is that? You're a nice person inside. Why don't you just show that?"

     Daniel squeezed and swung his hand, smiling at him sideways. He chose to ignore that question, thinking the answer was pretty obvious. The only person he was comfortable with being his complete self around was Seongwoo. His skin is glistening like he's made of diamonds. It looks so soft and moist. I wish I could kiss him all over to feel it on my lips. He's too beautiful for his own good. He's going to get the job before he even introduces himself, I guarantee it.

      Daniel wasn't much worried about the auditions. Rather he was a bit excited. He had never been to any kind of entertainment agency. Also, he had a feeling Seongwoo was going to have a blast and discover a dream. Modeling was like a calling to him. Yesterday, he had been such a natural and didn't seem the least bit awkward. They had studied poses and practiced in the cafe until closing time the night before. Daniel had saved all the photos into his phone and made his favorite his background.

      "Just remember what you did yesterday. The pictures were great."

     Seongwoo practiced his expressions and recited the modeling tips he'd learned from the book and magazines. Daniel was tempted to laugh but there wasn't much comical about it. Seongwoo was seriously trying his best and he seemed to be doing pretty good at it. Maybe I'm biased, but he looks good with any expression he does. He couldn't look ugly if he tried.

     "Daniel, watch out!" Seongwoo grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the way of a bicyclist.

     "Where were you looking? Be careful or you will get hurt!" Seongwoo was shooken up, angry and near tears just like he had with the skateboard incident.

     "Sorry to worry you. I was just distracted. Because you're so pretty."

     Seongwoo glared at him as Daniel brushed his smooth cheek, smiling playfully. Yup, it's as soft as silk just like everyday. I could touch this skin all day for years and never get tired of it. He looks good when he's worried about me. It's nice to have someone really care besides family.

      "Don't lie to me with nice words to try to make me stop being angry, Kang Daniel..." Seongwoo threatened with narrowed, beautiful eyes.

     He chuckled, then put on an innocent face with widened, blinking puppy eyes. He liked the way his name sounded in that sweet, airy tone. "I'm not lying. You are the prettiest man I've ever seen."

     "I hate that word!" Seongwoo spat out and then hissed.

     Daniel brightly laughed and playfully flicked his nose. "Bad kitty."

     Seongwoo put his hand over his mouth guiltily. That was stupid of him. He was trying to direct suspicion away from him being a cat as much as possible since Jisung had brought up the idea. Hissing certainly wasn't going to help.

     "How do you do that? It sounds realistic. My cat hisses just like that when I call him pretty boy."

     Seongwoo laughed nervously. "H-he does, does he? He sounds really smart then."

     "Oh, you wouldn't even believe it. Sometimes I think he's a human trapped inside of a cat. He can do the most amazing things. He understands Korean and he can sort of read, I'm sure of it. He's the coolest cat ever. He's like my best friend now. You should come over to my place and meet him."

     Seongwoo put on an apologetic expression. "Oh, you know I like cats, I really do. But from last year, I got allergic, so I probably shouldn't..."

     "Oh, that's too bad. I will record next time he does something cool and show it to you then. I don't want to make you feel ill."

     They started walking again, talking about the things his cat could do. Daniel knew he was gushing and appearing like a cat freak but he didn't want to hide anything from his crush. Well, except my porn and dirty dreams and what I have done while thinking about him after that. I hope he never finds out about that. It would make me seem like a huge creep.

     "Sounds like you really love your cat. That makes me kind of jealous," Seongwoo said with a slight, crooked grin.

    Ah, that's right, I'm an idiot! I haven't ever said the full extent of what I'm feeling yet. He pulled Seongwoo in an ally that was empty shaded and secluded.

     "Daniel?"

     "Shh," he whispered.

     Then he wrapped his arms around Seongwoo's waist and pulled him close. He tilted and moved his head forward and Seongwoo stayed still as he kissed him nice and long.

    "Hmm, I'm pleased but what was that for?" Seongwoo asked curiously when he pulled away.

     "I realized I forgot to tell you something and it's really important."

     Seongwoo checked the time on his watch. "We don't have much time..."

     "It will only take a second."

     Seongwoo shrugged and grinned, wrapping his arms around his shoulders. "Sure. Shoot."

     Well, this wasn't romantic at all but at least they were alone. He really needed to say it now. Somehow he just felt like it was the perfect time. He cradled Seongwoo's face in his hands and gazed lovingly into his pretty, sparkling, almond-shaped eyes.

     "Ong Seongwoo, I love you," he breathed out, nice and sweet and clear. He couldn't help but smile wide afterwards, feeling giddy yet embarassed.

     Seongwoo froze and his eyes widened at the out of the blue comment. Then, his whole face stretched and brightened in delight. Daniel's smile stretched further in response and his heart started racing.

    "You finally said it! I love you too!" Seongwoo squealed in delight.

     "Great!" Daniel cheered loudly.

     They laughed as they hugged tight and kissed firm and extra sweet. Daniel felt really happy so he picked Seongwoo up and spun him around. Seongwoo was lighter than he had expected, considering his height.

     "This is great but we're going to be late," Seongwoo said around a series of giggles several blissful moments later.

 

 

     They walked back out onto the street, smiling and giggling secretively. Then, they brisquely sped walked the rest of the way to the agency to make up for lost time. When they got inside, there was a line of people waiting in front of a mahogany door.

     "I'm going to sit over there and start my homework. Here's the medicine and milk if you need it. Good luck!"

     Daniel pat his thin shoulder as Seongwoo gave him a sad 'don't leave me' kind of look. But he had work to do and he was hoping they could catch dinner and a movie maybe if the time allowed, but he needed to get his homework done first. He wanted to stay next to him too, but Seongwoo didn't need distractions right before he went in. It was for the best as much as he didn't want to be separated even a minute.

     Seongwoo felt lonely and anxious as the nerves hit him again and he watched as Daniel sat in a chair reading a textbook and filling in some worksheet. He doesn't even look this way. That dum dum. He doesn't seem worried or missing me at all.

     "Seongwoo, you made it!"

    He jumped when he was suddenly hugged from behind by a short, squishy guy. He turned and looked down.

    "Oh, Jihoon, hi!" He greeted the extra friendly shifter cheerfully.

     Guanlin was behind Jihoon, smiling coolly. Their eyes met and Guanlin waved, giving a slight nod of his head in greeting.

     "Hi, Guanlin. I was hoping I would run into you guys here! You didn't have a job?"

     "Luckily, we're free as a bird today!"

     "Hey," Gualin frowned and pinched Jihoon's cheek pulling it so his mouth stretched in a funny way. "You know better than to say that word, Ji Ji."

     "Say what?" Seongwoo asked curiously with an eyebrow raised.

     "Ah, sorry Lin Lin. He hates birds or even the word."

     "Ah, interesting. I wonder why."

      Jihoon squeezed him around the waist, seeming awfully clingy which was new to Seongwoo. Shifter cats weren't touchy feely unless it was to mate and then only for a few minutes at a time. It was nice though. He always wanted friends he could hug.

      "I will show you why when we're not with a bunch of humans. It's about his shifter form."

    Guanlin threatened playfully, "Jihoon, if you don't get over here and stop talking about me, I'm going to eat all your carrots we brought."

      "That's about my shifter form," Jihoon whispered, then bounded over and as ordered wrapped his arms tightly around Guanlin.

     Guanlin genuinely smiled for the first time today, hugging Jihoon around the shoulders and shaking him. Jihoon giggled and laid against his chest with a content, blissful looking expression. If I didn't know any better, I would say they were mates. But is it possible for different shifter species to mate? It wasn't allowed in his society. Their auras were different colors so he knew they weren't of the same shifter species.

     "What animal are you two anyway?" he asked curiously.

     Guanlin turned around to show little yellow wings on his back. Jihoon turbed around and sprouted a white fluffy ball of cotton looking tail. They appeared in a second and then were gone the next. His eyes popped open in shock at the nifty trick he'd never seen cat shifters able to do.

     "I'm a chick."

     "I'm a rabbit."

     "Oh, I bet you guys are cute as full animals. Can you teach me how to partially transform? It would be useful." He could open the door without turning into his human form fully then.

     Two attractive men with special auras approached them suddenly. Whatever Jihoon and Guanlin were about to say was forgotten.

     "Jihoon, what on earth are you wearing? I told you to wear only the outfits I approve of around the agency or on jobs. Why would you ever wear those colors and prints together? Guanlin, you're responsible too. Don't let him just go around like that either. Force him to a store and then burn these clothes so he can't wear them ever again. He's a fashion terrorist! Jihoon, as I've told you a hundred times, you're a model working for us. You represent our vision and this atrocious look can harm our reputation."

    "Daehwi, calm down. It's not so bad today. And he doesn't ever listen. This is the hundredth time you've given him this lecture. Save your breath and stop stressing. It's bad for your skin, you know."

     The one that complained first was a medium height, thin, dainty looking blonde with a feminine face and large, round, light brown eyes. Seongwoo faintly sensed his aura, which was a bright yellow. He could tell he was a shifter of yet another species. The other guy was a tall, brown haired human with a tiny handsome face that rivaled shifter's human forms. They seemed pretty close. The tall guy rubbed the shorter guy's shoulders and they shared a warm, secretive look. The shorter was pacified as soon as he saw the other's face. He blushed and giggled.

     "Oh, Jinyoungie hyung, that's where you were."

     "That's better, Dae Dae. You look prettiest with a smile." 

      Jinyoung rubbed his thumb over Daehwi's face. Daehwi closed his eyes and put his hand over the other's with a warm smile. Jinyoung half smiled back in a soft, sweet yet slightly awkward sort of way as if he didn't smile often or lacked confidence in doing it. Jihoon seemed to be friends with them.

      "Sorry, you know how I just get so passionate about fashion."

     "Perfect timing! Daehwi, Jinyoung, I have someone you've got to meet! I saw him yesterday at a cafe and recruited him to the auditions today. I think he's going to be the next big thing. Seongwoo, come here and say hello to your future co models."

     Seongwoo bowed deeply after Jihoon introduced him and shook their hands, introducing himself in that funny way he usually did. He just didn't like people getting his name wrong because he liked it. After they stopped laughing, the two attractive men gave him once-overs and nodded in approval. Jinyoung tried to keep his face cool and chic but Daehwi was beaming. He turned to Jinyoung and clapped his hands, bouncing up and down.

     "He's perfect! The Queen Bee is going to love him."

      Then, Daehwi turned to Seongwoo and shook his hand. "It's really great to meet you. I know you're going to make it in, so I'm going to say congratulations and introduce myself prematurely. I'm the top model..."

     "Ah-hem!" Jinyoung coughed in interruption and kicked him.

     "I mean, co top model with this rude guy, Bae Jinyoung here. My name is Lee Daehwi."

     Seongwoo bowed and greeted politely to both of them.

     "He's so formal," Jihoon and Daehwi commented sultaneously and chuckled, looking at the tall man with kind eyes.

     Guanlin smirked and slapped Jinyoung on the back. "You should be polite and humble like that, Jin. It's much more appealing than your broody, mystery man concept."

     "Speak for yourself. You're the rudest in the whole company."

    Guanlin smirked in his characteristically cool yet made to irritate others way that Seongwoo recognized.  "People just think it's part of my culture though. I can get away with it. You're young and cute yet you always brood and look mean. Try smiling and being bright for once, like Daehwi."

  Guanlin forced the corners of Jinyoung's lips up into a smile with his fingers. The way he glared murderously at the dark haired, mischevious shifter made him look like a serial killer though.  Daehwi observed this with a soft, affectionate smile and a giggle.

     "We're working on it, aren't we, Jinnie? He's better than when we first came, Guanlin. Give him a rest already. You only make him gloomier when you pick on him about it, you know," Daehwi chided, patting Jinyoung's chest in comfort.

     Jihoon gave a silent look up at Guanlin like he was telling him to play nice. Guanlin smiled softer as he looked at Jihoon, his dark large eyes warming up and squinting as he only seemed to slightly when he looked at Jihoon.

     Seongwoo observed Jinyoung curiously. It was true he wasn't mean looking but he did have this serious, permanently sad look about him when he wasn't talking to Daehwi. Daehwi smiled brightly at him and poked his stomach a few times. It made the boy crack a slight smile and chuckle deeply. His eyes got brighter and less gloomy when they looked at him. He was still far from cheerful when put next to Daehwi who reminded him of a mini ball of sunshine and rainbows entangled and radiating warmth.

     The blond shifter then turned his glowing, pearly smile on Seongwoo and winked. He found himself blushing and smiling shyly though he wasn't sure why. The guy had some special magical ability to be charming, he supposed. He felt comforted, energized and more positive after witnessing the wink as if he had cast some spell, but shifters didn't have any special abilities besides transforming as far as he knew. 

     "Good luck, Seongwoo! Oh, and when you meet the Queen Bee, if she asks you today, you have a boyfriend. See, you're totally her type and she will be all over you if she thinks you're single. It's a pain because that will make her lover Cheetah all jealous and hating on you later on in your career."

     Who was this Queen Bee? Was she a bee shifter or something? Was that really her name? Was Cheetah really a name either? Was she a cat shifter like him? Why were there so many shifters in this agency anyway?

      "Oh, well, I don't need to lie. My manager is my boyfriend over there."

     They all looked where he was pointing. Daniel ran his hands through his hair, biting on a pencil as he concentrated hard on his textbook at that exact moment. He looked super handsome when he did that and his outfits were always fashionable these days, so Seongwoo was able to smile proudly when the models saw him.

     Jihoon commented with a light tone, "Oh, he's going to be your manager? Great idea. You guys can be together all the time then."

      Gualin shook his head and tsked. "I still think you can do better..."

      Seongwoo shook his head, insisting his Daniel was the perfect mate. The others looked at each other with complicated expressions. Jinyoung's expression was suddenly much darker.

     "I agree with Guanlin. Maybe there's a more suitable mate for you, one who's got more, you know, in common..."

     Seongwoo blushed, looking down and fiddling with his fingers. It seemed that they all knew he was shifter and Daniel was human and they didn't all approve. Well, maybe shifter clans weren't so different, after all. He felt a bit disappointed because genuinely he wanted friends that would approve of his relationship.

     Daehwi comfortingly brushed his shoulder. "Jinyoung doesn't mean anything bad by that. He's not a human hater. I will explain later. There's some things you should really know if you're going to mate a human. He's really cute though, actually I should say he's more of a hunk. He could be a model if he wanted to be but somehow I get more of a dancer feeling."

     Seongwoo nodded, bragging about Daniel's dancing skills, explaining how he had quit recently for his parents' sake.

     "It's a shame about parents. We all ran away years ago because of them," Jihoon sighed.

     "You did?"

      "Yeah, but for different reasons. We're all from out of the city like you. But we have been mixing with humans for years so we can let you in on a lot of things you don't know."

     "Is it okay to..." He looked pointedly at Jinyoung who didn't have a shifter aura. They laughed and shared secretive smiles.

     Guanlin commented, "He's got a lot to learn."

     "There's something called an ex shifter. You can lose your shifter abilities. Even if it isn't your will and you try to fight it with all your might," Jinyoung spoke sadly.

     Daehwi held his hand and smiled at him comfortingly. Jinyoung then brushed a tear from the corner of Daehwi's soft light brown eyes.

     "It's not your fault. I'm the one that's sorry for starting it with you..." He murmured very quietly, seeming like it was supposed to be a private conversation.

     Seongwoo looked between them curiously. Forget about the audition, he rather wanted to keep talking to them instead. He had never heard of shifters losing their powers, just like he'd never heard of them living voluntarily in the human world, or crossbreeding with shifter males. This was an interesting bunch of people and he figured that he could learn a lot about the world from them.

     "We'll tell you about it later. Anyway, it's your turn to go in," Jihoon squeezed Seongwoo tight again.

     Guanlin coolly waved. "I would say good luck but with that gorgeous face you don't need it. I'm already your fan. Go knock em dead, Ong."

     Jihoon scolded, jabbing him with his finger so he winced in pain, "Okay, that's enough of your shamess flirting. I let it go until now since I'm a patient, loving man and I know it's all harmless fun to you. But you're making it difficult with his boyfriend now. He clearly sees you as a threat."

     They all looked over at Daniel. The boy had been shooting a killing glare at Guanlin while he was flirting and smirking.

     "I want this guy to stay my friend. But if you keep flirting with him, his boyfriend won't let us hang out. Remember how you lost me my last friend that same way?" Jihoon pouted and whined.

     "Sorry Ji Ji baby, you know I don't mean anything by that. I'm just eye shopping. I don't have any intention to purchase. I've already got the best, sweetest candy to chew on whenever I want."

     They all gasped in shock when Guanlin hugged the shorter boy from behind and leaned in to nibble on and lick his ear, chuckling evilly. Jihoon closed his eyes and groaned, clearly enjoying the sensation. It was quite an erotic, sensual scene that made Seongwoo feel like he was watching one of Daniel's human mating videos. Soon they would start making out and taking off their clothes he feared but kind of wanted to see.

     Guanlin and Jihoon somehow matched really well. There was a lot of sparks and energy and tension between them...What was that called again? Sexual tension and chemistry, that was it, he was almost positive.

     Seongwoo wished that him and Daniel had that but it was probably something you only got after mating, not something 'virgins' could have. He watched them with envy and glanced over at Daniel, imagining Daniel doing the same ear licking trick to him and then him doing it back. That made him excited and brought on another heat wave, or as humans called it, a case of horny.

     He wanted to try that. That wouldn't make me lose my form, would it? It wasn't technically mating as long as their clothes stayed on, he figured.

       Daniel rolled his eyes with a look of disgust at their public display of affection. He was clearly thinking his new friends were strange perverts. Well, so were his so he wasn't going to stop seeing them even if Daniel didn't like them. He needed his own friends and these guys were shifters that could help him out a ton. He couldn't afford to lose them.

     Seongwoo's name was being called to go into the room behind the large, intimidating mahogany doors. Daniel then looked at him and smiled sweetly, putting aside his distaste for Guanlin for a moment.

     "Good luck!" He called with his thumbs up.

      Seongwoo smiled and returned the gesture, not sure what it meant but assuming it was meant to give positive encouragement or used as a charm to give luck for suceess.

     "Not in front of the virgin," Jihoon pushed the bigger man away, seeming somewhat reluctant and his scolding tone rather weak so it was hardly effective on his mischevious mate.

     Guanlin still obeyed, taking his hands off and smirking like he had a joke he wasn't telling them. He was probably imagining what to do with Jihoon later when they were alone. Somehow that excited Seongwoo now, the idea of two people he knew mating. He kind of wanted to watch to get more tips on how to do it properly because those two were confident and seemed experienced at it. He bet he could learn a lot of sex techniques.

     Jihoon pressed, gesturing him forward. "You've got to go, Seongwoo. Don't be nervous. Let's talk more when you're done."

      Daehwi hugged him and pecked near but not on his cheek as he pressed their faces together. "Keep your eyes on the pretty but kind of plastic looking woman with long brown hair."

 

 

    Seongwoo recalled the model's advice along with the tips and poses he had memorized and been rehearsing since yesterday as he went in to the mysterious room. He took a deep breath and then smiled as he walked towards the table where two human women were seated. He introduced himself and then waited for the questions to come. He looked at the long haired woman they called Queen Bee with a bright smile as they had suggested. She was pretty and very shiny like a plastic doll, especially around her nose which didn't exactly look real.

     The girl immediately caught the disease he was used to bringing on, and an intense case of it. She giggled behind her hand and turned bright pink. She turned to the other woman with colored-in eyes and shortly bobbed, slicked neatly black hair. Seongwoo could pick up what they were saying clearly with his heightened sense of hearing. He turned his ears forward to listen closely, concerned if they were saying something bad about him.

     "He's freaking handsome and funny. I could stare at him all day. My panties are soaked now."

     "You've really gotta stop being so thirsty, BoA," Cheetah whispered. "He's really a catch but he's too young for you. Plus, any guy that neat and groomed is definitely gay. You don't have a chance with this one. Try not to make a fool of yourself by fawning all over him."

     After that, BoA asked him a ton of personal questions he didn't see how were relevant to modeling. He answered as honest and serious as he could, careful not to reveal anything that would make him seem like he was a supernatural being. Then, the ladies had him express poses holding certain items with various emotions. They also asked him to show his catwalk, thankfully he knew what that was in fashion talk and didn't turn into a cat or go onto all fours. It meant he should walk tall, graceful, and confident like he was the prettiest person in the world.

     It was harder to do all of this in front of strangers. So, he imagined that he was in front of Daniel and he was walking the way female cats did during courting season, trying to entice Daniel to mate with him.

     "Wow, did you see that butt? It was so pert I want to bite it."

     "Thirsty much? We seriously need to get you laid. Let's go to a club tonight."

     "No, I don't want just any guy. I want that guy. Get him for me please. He's so pretty."

     "I'm not Santa."

     "I'll sit on your lap and you can pretend to be."

     "But what you really want is to sit on his lap, straddle it more specifically."

     "That's true. Aw, he's so fine. I physically ache right now. My loins are burning."

     "I'll take care of it later. We can use the strap on and imagine a guy again. You're lucky I'm chill with your bisexuality and your cradle robbing. I just love you that much."

     "You really are too sweet to me. It makes my impulses run wilder these days, to be honest so maybe you shouldn't be. This is the tenth guy I've crushed on this year..."

     "Maybe you're menopausal."

     The Queen Bee, who was really known as BoA and her fierce lover named Cheetah gasped as apparently that was something terrible. "I'm not that old! Don't you dare say that."

     "Well it's just because you're ridiculously thirsty all the time. Three times a day isn't even enough these days. It's a symptom of menopause, just saying."

     "No no no, no way, I'm not an old hag yet..."

      Seongwoo stood in front of them as he'd walked up and down the room several times and they were clearly not focusing on him anymore. They stopped chatting and looked at him. Cheetah seemed to smirk and wasn't so friendly. BoA beamed at him and bat her eyes, her face flushing more rosy.

      "Thank you so much for auditioning with our small agency. I think you're perfect, exactly what we've been looking for. You're going to be a star here. We will contact you at the number we have when a job is available for you. One last question."

     "Yes?"

     Cheetah narrowed her eyes, subtly shaking her head like 'don't you do it.' BoA ignored her completely, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Are you single?"

     Cheetah groaned and put her face in her hands as if she were sick. Seongwoo was surprised Daehwi had guessed right and remembered how to answer. "I'm madly in love with my hot manager boyfriend. Sorry."

     "Aw... Well, he is a lucky guy then. If he doesn't take proper care of you sweetie, you let noona know, okay?"

     "Yes, noona. I will. Thanks for your concern," he said warmly and bowed.

     They are a bit intimidating but they also seem kind and funny. They aren't bad as far as human females go.

     "Ah, you were right. The hotties are always gay..." he heard BoA complain and sigh deeply as he walked out. 

 

 

     After the auditions were over, Seongwoo ran into the group again. Daniel was waiting for him with a warm, cozy hug and asked how it went. He said he got it, but he was distracted from giving details since the models were standing in a circle, beckoning him over alone. It looked like they wanted to tell him something important.

      He told Daniel he was going to talk to them a bit more. Daniel went outside to wait, kindly giving them privacy though he looked a bit uncomfortable with it. He gave Seongwoo a kiss on the cheek and shot Guanlin a threatening glare before leaving, like a dog marking its territory. Guanlin smooched an air kiss his direction, loving the human's pissed reactions clearly. 

     "How did it go?" Jihoon asked, giving him a crushing hug.

     "It went well, I think. The females said they really liked my look and that they were going to call me when a proper job was available."

     The others nodded and high-fived with huge grins.

     "That's a done deal then. You will get your first job soon, guarenteed," Daehwi explained.

    "He's a jewel. Of course they wouldn't let him go," Guanlin gave him a lecherous grin and a flirty wink.

     Seongwoo giggled, finding the handsome man really amusing and liking the flattering compliments. "So, was there something you guys wanted to tell me? I shouldn't make my manager wait long..."

     "Your mate, you mean. I guess you've got a date. Lucky~" Daehwi teased, brushing his shoulder.

     Jinyoung coughed then, successfully drawing all of their attention. They all turned grim and serious then. "There's something you should know about mating with humans, Seongwoo. The more you love and mate with them, gradually you will lose your abilities to transform and your senses will weaken. I used to be able to change into a raccoon. I fell in love with a human and hid my form. We mated as humans and lived together. Then, over time, I wasn't able to change fully, only partially. Like Daehwi now. Show him..."

     Daehwi was somber as he demonstrated by transforming his hands into little brown furry paws.

     "Right now, Daehwi can only transform parts of his body to his original otter form. He used to be the cutest little otter. We would swim and play together when we were younger near our village in the mountains. The human I loved died in a car accident and I returned home permanently. By that time, I couldn't transform at all anymore. I was laughed at and bullied for being a handicap. Daehwi ran away with me to live in the city. We got jobs and an apartment together. He helped me through my pain and grief. We fell in love and started mating. Then he started changing too, all because of me being pretty much human."

     "Oh, wow, well that's a lot to take in. Are you sure your ex shifting and humanizing was caused by that?" Seongwoo asked slowly, his heart racing at the idea of this new incredible information.

     Daehwi and the others nodded. "It's pretty well known around shifters in Seoul. Have you ever heard of cases where shifters went into the city and never came back because they got abducted and experimented on?"

     "Yeah, I did, all the time! That's why my dad hates humans so much."

     "The thing is, that's all a lie our parents make up. People liked the human world so they settled down there or they fell in love with humans and lost their shifter abilities. There's tons of shifters and ex shifters living in this city. There's been no abductions and not many humans know about us. The few that do wouldn't sell out their mates of course."

     "Humans are different than shifters. Once they mate, they tend to mate only with that person for a long time, even years. They believe in being exclusive. Some shifters leave humans and break their hearts but not as much the other way around. Unless you reveal you're a shifter. Humans aren't always going to be able to love you after that. My human never knew. Does yours?"

     Seongwoo shook his head no. If he could help it, he would rather Daniel never knew. 

     "Does he love you? Can you trust him?" Daehwi asked.

     Seongwoo smiled wide and nodded. "Yes, of course!"

     "Have you mated yet? Do you intend to?" Jihoon asked curiously.

     "We haven't and now I'm not so sure. I want to but I'm going to have to think about it. To think that I could lose my powers even mating in human form..."

     Not being a shifter anymore sounded wonderful to him but also scary because it was unusual and the unknown. It would be wierd not having his cat form anymore. There were even times it was useful.

     He was feeling torn at the news. Mating with Daniel would mean something serious for him, much more than he'd ever thought. The consequences were huge. He'd never be able to go back home. He'd have to live as a normal human forever, working forever.

     "Think about it carefully. I honestly regret it. I miss my animal body and I'm sorry everyday that I started Daehwi's change," Jinyoung advised.

     "Don't do anything you might regret. Unless you really love him and you think that he's going to stay with you too, then you shouldn't mate," Jihoon advised.

     Seongwoo chewed on his nails, deep in thought. "I know we love each other, that's for certain. But it's only been a month or so since I've met him. So it's hard to tell the future. It would be nice to be a human in my opinion. Though it scares me to lose my cat form. I know I would miss it at certain times. But mating with the human I love may just be worth it...Especially if I don't have to sneak around, hiding my identity all the time."

     "We're not saying don't do it. Lots of people were happy being human and never regretted it. Lots of people live happily with the human they love. Some humans even accepted and loved shifters after finding out their true forms. Things may be like that for you if you get lucky. We're just saying be careful, think things through about your future, and don't rush yourself."

     "Thanks for telling me guys. It's really interesting news. I promise I will think about it. He isn't pushing me to mate any time soon anyway. I've got a long time before we reach that point to think through the pros and cons. Anyway, what's with you two? I've never heard of males mating in my clan, let alone crossbreeding..."

     "Ah, about us. I know we're a wierd bunch. It's not common to mate between shifter clans. That's because most shifters prefer mating in their shifting form. We prefered mating in our human forms, so it's never been a problem. That's why we ran away. We got bullied for that partially but mostly mating as an animal was boring. The human form is more sensitive and pleasing and there's lots of options with positions. We can mate all we want to now we're living together in the human world."

     "Hey there, watch what you say, you're getting me horny. You better stop before I show baby Seongwoo something he's not ready for," Guanlin looked down with a smirk, his arm snaking around the shorter's shoulders.

     Jihoon blushed, smiling in a similar suggestive flirty fashion. "Woops~"

     "Who says I'm not ready?" Seongwoo pouted. "You guys don't know if I mated with shifters before."

     Jinyoung scoffed and smirked. Daehwi giggled behind his littlep, pale hand. The other couple laughed, shaking their heads at him like he was a naive child.

     "It's obvious you're a virgin," they spoke simultaneously.

     Seongwoo blushed with embarassment and scratched his neck. Am I really that obviously innocent? Is there some kind of virgin scent?

    "Seongwoo, are you almost done? I'm getting really hungry..." Daniel suddenly appeared at his side. It was the perfect timing.

     Seongwoo slid closer and held his arm and pecked his cheek to display that he was just as close and comfortable with affection. He wasn't so innocent. Daniel seemed heavily affected by the public display of affection which he'd clearly said wasn't okay to do. But these guys were gay humans to him so he didn't scold Seongwoo this time. He turned red and nervously, shyly smiled.

     "Oh, he looks totally different around you, Seongwoo. Very cute and charming. I see why you're such a smitten kitten now," Daehwi said with a wink.

     Jihoon added, "He's pretty handsome, right? I thought they were both models at first."

     "You could be if you're interested," Jinyoung added, putting in some effort to be friendly and attempting a smile.

     Daniel replied nonchalantly, "Fashion and pictures, eh, not my thing. I'm more into music and computers."

     And naughty videos and children's comics, Seongwoo thought to himself with a snicker but he couldn't tease him about that because Daniel thought he didn't know about those embarassing hobbies. Seongwoo introduced everyone and said they were new friends who also were from out of town so they were giving him tips and advice about various things.

     "Glad you made friends so quickly. Please take care of him. He doesn't know much and he can be a handful if not watched carefully. If he doesn't understand something or says something alarming, I'm sorry and ask for your correction and patience in advance. He's much younger than he looks when it comes to life experience and common sense. Also, his culture is really different than ours. I hope you will lead and assist him with the utmost care like he's your younger brother."

     "Aw, as expected, you're perfect~" Seongwoo murmured, squeezing his arms around the other's waist.

     He felt touched by Daniel's request. He was really looking out for him. It made him feel loved. It also showed the others just how close they were so there wasn't anything for them to be concerned about.

     "You're the perfect one, that's why I care so much," Daniel flicked his nose, looking at him with undisguised warmth.

     Daehwi and Jihoon watched with delighted grins, holding their hands together and going 'aw ~' like they found them as adorable as Seongwoo felt they were. Jinyoung and Guanlin remained indifferent, Jinyoung seeming to be judging their relationship warily out of pure concern for the shifter's sake. He had eyes that seemed like they had seen much pain and darkness, making him have little faith in the world anymore.

     "We should go. Nice to meet you all. I'm sure we will be seeing you around. Let's go." Daniel slung an arm over his shoulder and wrapped his fingers over arm.

      Seongwoo called bye over his shoulder and waved to them as Daniel led him out.

     "You must be hungry after waiting for me all this time. What should we eat?"

     "I was thinking pizza. My treat for your first audition. You said you wanted to try it before, right?"

     "Oh, yay, pizza! Woo!" Seongwoo cheered enthusiastically, raising his hands up in the air.

     Daniel chuckled, giving him a look of warm affection and patting his hair. "Let's go then. I figured you would get excited."

 

 

     As they ate the wonderful tasting thing Seongwoo decided he liked better than tuna and banana milk even,  Seongwoo told Daniel all about the audition and his chat. He left out the shifter stuff and the way the woman was flirting and talking about him like he was a steak rather than a person. With how he got with Guanlin, Seongwoo figured Daniel would be even worse with BoA and forbid him from working there. He didn't want to make Daniel unhappy, even if he was pretty funny and cute when he was jealous.

     "Well, I guess they're trustworthy enough. Except for that Guanlin. I don't like the way he looks at you like you're a juicy steak he wants to chomp even with his boyfriend right there. You should stay clear of him. Don't let him get within a yard of you and definitely don't be alone with him, alright?"

     Seongwoo wanted to argue with him about that because he thought Guanlin honestly really loved Jihoon and was just a funny, overly friendly guy that liked flirting but in an innocent way. Guanlin hadn't even tried to touch him since their first handshake.

     "Okay, I will be careful."

     Daniel smiled coolly, looking incredibly attractive. "Good boy."

     "Hey, I'm not your cat," Seongwoo pouted, feeling slightly offended at his tone and word choice.

     Well, actually I am, but I don't want you to say the same things to my human form. I want to be your equal when we're out on dates at least.

     The blonde human smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, became a habit of mine years ago. Thanks for listening to my concerns, I mean."

    He reached up with a napkin to brush some sauce off around his lips. Seongwoo's pout turned into a shy, blissful grin. He reached across the table with a piece of pizza in hand. He hadn't had a chance to feed Daniel yet these days though he had fed him a number of times, especially since he hadn't fully gotten the knack of eating human food with his hands and chopsticks. Daniel lit up, seeming pleased at the caring gesture. He opened his mouth wide and took a giant bite.

    "Wow your mouth is huge! I wonder what all you could fit in there."

     Daniel blushed and struggled to chew because he started coughing. Seongwoo realized now that Daniel wasn't this way because he was sick but because Seongwoo had said something he shouldn't.

     "What did I say this time?" He gave Daniel a cup of water and patted his back until he was able to swallow and stop coughing.

     "I just um...took that a wrong way. A perverted way."

     "Ah, you said a bad word! I get a kiss now~!"

     Before Daniel could object to it because they were in public even though there was hardly anyone in the restaurant, Seongwoo grabbed his face and planted an enthusiastic, noisy smooch smack dap on his lips.

     "S-Seongwoo, w-what did you do, we c-cant.." Daniel objected, reeling back and stuttering in utter shock, his face as red as the pizza sauce.

     Seongwoo laughed, merely kissing him again to get him to stop talking. This is the funnest game ever. Why didn't I think of this before? Every time Daniel tried to say something, Seonwoo would innocently peck his lips to quiet him. They giggled as the game continued and eventually Daniel gave up objecting. Until they were down to the thirty kisses Daniel owed him which he planned to cash in with another makeout session the next time they were in total privacy.

     Seongwoo released his lips and smiled guiltily, hoping Daniel wouldn't scold him to harshly for being impulsive and disobedient. "That's enough playing around. Sorry, I just felt like breaking the rules for a second."

    "So, you have a hidden rebel, my sweet, not so innocent anymore Ong?"

     Daniel caught him around the neck as he tried to move away. He put his lips directly to his ear. It made Seongwoo shiver and tingle uncomfortably in his stomach as it reminded him of what he'd fantasized about earlier. The way the human's lips and warm breath felt just brushing against his skin, he imagined more would feel incredible. Would it feel better than making out? What would things beyond hugs, making out, and ear biting feel like? He was dying to find out, even knowing the dire consequences that would trigger.

     "I think you deserve a punishment for making me horny..." Daniel whispered against the rim of his ear.

      Seongwoo liked that seductive, suggestive tone and the feel of his warm, ticklish breath. He got excited thinking about a punishment that was actually pleasurable, like more making out. A virgin cat in the middle of his heat cycle could only hope though.

      "You are not going to get even treatment kisses for a few days for that little stunt, my lovely yet mischievous mister."

     Then, Daniel released him with a mocking, amused laugh. He seemed to really enjoy teasing and denying him to get an upset reaction.

     "Aw, come on~" Seongwoo whined and stamped his feet, which only made Daniel chuckle more and turning his grin extremely smug and arrogant from knowing that Seongwoo wanted him so badly.

   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the maknae line! Sorry it's really taken awhile to get them into this story. Here you meet three shifters and one ex-shifter. What, there is such a thing? Yes, there really is, and in this chapter you learned a bit more about the shifter world and their abilities. First, there are shifter clans based on what animal they turn into. Each shifter clan and some individual shifters have an aura that the others can see. Seongwoo can only see his faintly because he is young and his senses aren't as sharp as some others. This aura helps them identify and interact with each other in their human forms. Second, shifters can partially transform(Seongwoo will learn how later from another special person who's yet to appear that I'm saving for an important plot point after the reveal, try guessing who and what kind of shifter he is). Also, very important for later, shifters can become fully human if they mate over an extended period of time with a human or an ex-shifter. It doesn't affect them mating in their human bodies as shifters though, so Guanlin and Jihoon can still fully transform. This may or may not happen later to Seongwoo, all depends on if they ever mate. Lastly, shifter parents tell their shifter children lies about the human world to scare them in to not leaving, but there are actually many shifters who ran away and either hide in the human world or mate with humans to become humans themselves. So, if you ever see a really pretty person, just think that they're actually supernatural haha.
> 
> I hope you like these nw characters. I'm trying to make everyone in this story a bit different than the realistic characterization I have in Meeting a Beautiful Stranger. I wanted to take some of their most appealing qualities and creatively exagerrate them quite a bit. Guanlin is my favorite character to write like this. You know how he's often pretty cool, calm, affectionate, and flirty, openly calling people handsome and he's their fan and what not? So, I decided to make a naughty little devil version of Guanlin(I know he's young but young kids can be into sex and get pervy early on, especially guys, so it's not impossible). I love how he's obnoxious and flirty with everyone and how he enjoys pissing Daniel off, though he will not be pursuing Ong because he loves his Ji Ji. Jihoon I decided to make extra friendly, shy, cute, and touchy with a bit of a naughty side he saves for when Guanlin is around. He's the only one that can control Guanlin and he's head over heels for him. I enjoy writing their dynamic in this story because it's comical, fun, sexy, and romantic. Daehwi I tried to make exceptionally bright, kind, compassionate, and talkative like a vitamin/sun, he's very charismatic and lovable. He just makes everyone a bit happier, like a little piece of heaven. Jinyoung may be difficult for you guys to accept and I know my interpretation of his character could be wrong since I don't observe him on a regular basis, but I did notice that compared to many other members that Jinyoung seems rather quiet, gloomy, and unless he's with Daehwi and some others it's rare to see him smile. When he smiles it looks a bit awkward and shy to me too like he's not comfortable with it. So, I decided that the reason he's going to be like this is because he's suffered too much pain at too young of an age. He left home, lost his lover tragically, lost his magical abilities, and got outcasted by his clan. He's really been through a lot, poor guy, and so that's why he's concerned for Seongwoo because he sees his old self and worries Seongwoo will have to go through what he's had to. Daehwi has been the only light in his life keeping him going on and keeping him thinking positively. Compared to Ongniel, all the relationships in this story are more mature and complex basically. But Ongniel will catch up by the end of the story because they've got a lot of stuff they're going to have to get through before this story ends.
> 
> lease tell me who's your favorite new character! I'm curious about which maknae of the four is the most charming. They will be coming up later a few times so your feedback will help me write about them more.


	21. Fantasies Don't Last Forever (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel starts working as Seongwoo's manager as he officially starts modeling. Jihoon gets playful jokingly flirting with Daniel that sparks the first bout of jealousy Seongwoo has ever experienced. The others find his possessiveness and childish behavior when his 'mate' is threatened by admirers to be exceptionally cute and entertaining. Daniel gets tortured watching Seongwoo at work, because he's a natural and learns some really hot expressions that totally does his boyfriend in which he doesn't know about. After taking tips from Jihoon, Seongwoo stuns everyone on the set with his abilities and presence and expressive variety of looks for being a rookie. Jisung's suspicions increase and he's convinced that Seongwoo isn't the innocent, trustworthy sweetheart he seems. Sungwoon and Jisung argue about what to do about the situation and whether to tell Daniel the odd things they have discovered and Jisung's not so crazy theories.

 "Right, just like that, Seongwoo. Smize a bit more and tip your chin down just a hair... Perfecto! Gorgeous. Magnifico~!"

     Daniel agreed with Jihoon wholeheartedly. However.... "Why are you speaking in Italian?"

     Jihoon replied nonchalantly, "Lots of the cameramen are foreigners and they will say that kind of stuff. You pick it up."

     "Ah, foreigners..."

     He didn't really like the idea of super tall men with fair skin, blonde hair, and icy blue eyes giving compliments to his gorgeous boyfriend as he shot smouldering looks and sexy smirks through the camera right into their eyes.

     Jihoon had requested to be put on Seongwoo's first job so he could give modeling tips. They had gone through hair and makeup and the lessons had started an hour before the shoot was supposed to begin. First, Jihoon had taught Seongwoo about posing as he said from 'head to toe.' He instructed Seongwoo to put tension in every part of his body and not to forget about a single part. He also instructed him to elongate, to not hide his neck, and not to ever cut off any limbs in the picture.

     They spent thirty minutes with Seongwoo diligently copying Jihoon's poses and then attempting to make them his own and 'own it' as Jihoon put it(this model slang was wierd and all in English).

     Daniel had to admit Jihoon was a fantastic model and patient teacher. He clearly knew what he was talking about, he was kind, and he took a quick liking to Seongwoo. He was being very kind to Seongwoo, which Daniel approved of, and had a tendency to hug him a lot with excitement when he perfected something he'd just taught, which Daniel did not approve of quite as much.

     Then, Jihoon had moved on to instructing Seongwoo about beauty shots, where to find his best angle, how to follow the light always and make it your best friend, and how to put emotion into your dead eyes no matter how tired you got with a strange squinting/glaring technique that he called 'the smize.' It was short for 'smiling with your eyes' and he said it was something all the top models knew from someone named Tyra. 

     Daniel had been in a really good mood then, watching Seongwoo posing with his handsome face crooked to the side slightly, looking either intense or smiling cutely. He did a fantastic job making expressions and finding angles which made his beautiful, exotic features stand out even more than normal. Daniel could imagine Seongwoo on the front covers of magazines already. He was absolutely gorgeous.

     Daniel couldn't stop smiling proudly, his face hot, his heart racing, and his palms sweaty. He felt entranced and intensely in love, with the slightest occasional onslaught of naughty fantasies about Seongwoo's graceful, fragile body and his sweet, yummy looking lips, which he had recently had the honor of tasting actually. His spirits were up while watching his boyfriend 'strut his stuff' while recalling their incredible, shocking make out session.

     Until Jihoon had to go and spoil his mood by bringing up these negative thoughts and inferiority complex issues. Daniel recalled being called ugly, fat, and slit-eyed when he was younger. He remembered how he had looked often at foreign magazines and TV shows, envying how tall, muscular, cut-faced, and big, blue eyed they were. Every white man looked a hundred times more attractive than himself at that time, so he had developed a Western Look complex. Daniel had filled out, grown taller, and was considered attractive now, but no matter how many compliments he got, the inferiority complex stuck through his teen years and early twenties.

     He worried because of that insecurity that Seongwoo would meet an attractive photographer that would offer to wisk him away to see the world, buy him everything he wanted, and open up all kinds of job opportunities. He was terrified at the idea of having Seongwoo stolen from him, even being separated for a day since he fell harder for him was tough.

     I don't know what I would do without him. It would be like losing the brightest light in my life. I would slip into the darkness again, being lonely, not liking myself, hiding my preferences, and being negative. I don't want to go back to living like that. 

     Jihoon smirked like he knew where Daniel's mind was heading. "Don't worry. There usually aren't any attractive foreigners contracted with our agency. Also, Seongwoo is totally into you so he wouldn't think of looking at someone else."

     "I don't know about that..." Daniel commenter lowly, thinking of his recent friendly interactions with infamously handsome and charming in polar ways Guanlin and Minhyun.

     "He's friendly to handsome men. Maybe he will get bored of me as he gets closer to them. They probably have a better personality. At least more dynamic and interesting."

     Jihoon made a disgruntled face and swiped the air like he was trying to wave away smoke or some bad smell. 

     "Ew, it stinks of low self-esteem in here. I need some perfume sprayed here ASAP. Why are you like that? You're one of the hottest guys I've ever seen. And you seem really caring and protective. So what if you're a bit serious, gloomy, shy, and quiet? That gives you an edge. You're all tall, dark, handsome, sexy, and mysterious. I heard Seongwoo brag about your body too, by the way. I envy you that. I'm trying to get abs but they're just babies even after months of working out."

     Jihoon patted his stomach, looking down with a melancholy pout before continuing. "You should have a bit more confidence. Also, trust me, when two people are in love as much as you two, no other guy is going to get in the way. Seongwoo has, and probably will always have, only eyes for you."

     "You think so?" Daniel asked hopefully, scratching at the hair on the back of his head.

     "You've seen my boyfriend. How would I put up with his flirting if I didn't know that was true about love?" Jihoon laughed brightly.

     Then, he patted Daniel's shoulder. "Seongwoo cares for you and he thinks you're the most attractive person in the world, believe me. Piece of advice. When he's working, try not to think of silly, negative things that are going to make you moody. If you're like that, you could ruin his energy and momentum on the shoot which could cost him future jobs. Jealousy in this field is a double-edged sword."

     Daniel's eyes widened and he shook his head. "I really don't want that. I would never forgive myself if I messed up this opportunity for him. I will put a cap solidly over my jealousy and insecurities."

     "Good, though it would be better if you didn't have them to begin with. You're just as hot as any foreign model, you know, seriously. But don't tell Guanlin on me. He goes Hulk if he sees me flirting or calls anyone else handsome."

      Daniel frowned, pointing out, "You said it to Seongwoo though."

     "That's different."

     "Is it?" He cocked his head, not really sure what Jihoon meant.

     Jihoon smiled mysteriously. "Seongwoo's clearly not my type but you are a bit closer to the type Guanlin knows I'm attracted to."

     "What type is that?" Daniel smirked with amusement.

     "Tall, dark, strong, possessive, moody, hunky beyond all reason, manly..." Jihoon looked up at the cieling, counting on his fingers and pursing his lips in a strange sort of sexy pout.

     Daniel laughed nervously and put up his hand over his shy smile, blushing. "Wow, that's flattering but embarassing. I'm not used to getting compliments from gay men, at least the ones I'm not friends with."

     Jihoon touched his shoulder, stepping closer with an impish, seductive expression. "Let's be friends then too. Maybe if we become good friends and things don't work out for you, then we could try something a bit more interesting..."

     "No, Jihoon, this one's mine! You have Guanlin and even if you dump Guanlin you can't have my Daniel. Don't dream of it even!" Suddenly, Seongwoo jumped between them and hugged Daniel tight around the chest.

     He glared at Jihoon and literally hissed, baring his slightly sharp(Daniel now realized when he got a close-up look)teeth.

     "Woah, Seongwoo, we were just having a friendly chat. No need for the hisses and retract your claws before you tear a hole in Daniel's clothes." Jihoon chuckled with a teasing, mysterious smile, instantly stepping away.

     He didn't appear upset by Seongwoo's rude reaction at all. Daniel, who was prepared to do damage control for the social misconduct, patted Seongwoo's shoulder to calm him down. The boy moved to his front but he hadn't let him go. Rather, he squeezed him tighter. Daniel naturally wrapped his arms around his back, returning his hug, smiling with bashful amusement.

     Seongwoo looked at him with a pout and puppy eyes. "Who's prettier, Daniel? If you say Jihoon, then I won't allow you to be friends. I don't like it," he whined.

     Daniel smiled warmly and chuckled, brushing his cheek. He was thinking that this was the cutest he had ever seen him, and that was certainly saying something when you looked back on the epic moments of cute he had witnessed.

     Daniel decided he really loved jealous, possessive, protective Seongwoo. He had never imagined someone would feel that way about him, least of all the boy who was always friendly, bright, and positive to everyone. 

     Daniel shot a grateful look at Jihoon. He wouldn't have been able to see this adorable side without the joke he had just played to mess with his new friend. He thought it might be wrong in public with Jihoon watching them with a huge expected grin, but for once he just followed his impulses. Seongwoo was acting too lovable and kissable to resist right now.

     "Seongwoo, you are by far prettier, more beautiful, handsomer, and sexier than anyone on this earth. I wasn't thinking of Jihoon like that. I've only ever thought of you like that. You're the only one perfect enough to be my mate. Honestly, I'm not good enough for you and I am sorry about that, but I will try my best to be the man you deserve someday. I love you~" he said, his accent thick, husky and sweet as honey.

     Seongwoo melted, his body weakening, his eyes crinkling up and filling with love, his smile shy and sweet. "I love you too," he giggled.

     Daniel smiled lovingly at him and tipped the boy's chin up with his crooked pointer finger, dropping his head to give him a gentle, sweet peck. Seongwoo closed his eyes, hummed in pleasure, and leaned into him like he wanted the kiss to go on forever.

     Bystander Jihoon clapped and squealed. "Aw, you guys are as cute as I expected! Such a sweet pair. I just had to make him a little jealous, Daniel. Sorry that whole thing earlier was a fib. I was messing with you."

     Daniel frowned and narrowed his eyes at him. The little cute minx had got him totally fooled there. He had believed for a second that Jihoon was attracted to him. He didn't care if he wasn't, but he didn't like being tossed around and used as a tool. He got enough of that from his friends already.

     Daniel commented coldly, "Wow, seems that you take after your boyfriend. He's rubbed off on you a bit too much."

     "Could be. Or I could just be naturally like that," Jihoon winked with another mischevious, mysterious smile.

     It's hard to get a read on these model guys, Daniel thought.

     The more often he met them, the more it seemed true. They spoke in a round about way that was often flirtatious, they were unnaturally handsome, they were confident and close, and they seemed to have several sides to their personality. They liked Seongwoo and Seongwoo seemed to like them, he got excitedly about meeting them and having new friends. Daniel wasn't going to pass judgement or get in the way for Seongwoo's sake. As long as they didn't seem like bad people that would be a bad influence on him at least.

 

 

     Shortly after, it was time for Seongwoo and Jihoon to do their shoot. Daniel sat in a chair aways away from the set but he was still able to see it. He had brought homework to do he had planned to work on. But Seongwoo modeling officially proved to be too tempting and lovely of a distraction from boring numbers, data, and mechanics. He found himself staring intently at the boys on the set instead.

     Seongwoo and Jihoon mimicked each other's poses. Then, they leaned on each other's shoulders. Seongwoo looked really good when he looked up, touched his lips, grabbed behind his neck, or stood with his hands in his pockets. He switched angles and expressions, cocking a leg here, bending an arm there, switching the direction of his gaze. They were like a high-fashion power duo, killing imaginary fangirl targets left and right. 

     Daniel put his head on his hand and smiled, laughed, or sighed dreamily  as he watched Seongwoo trying his best and apparently doing well. The photographer and Jihoon were both giving him compliments and said he followed direction well. When they gave him an idea to make the shot better, he adjusted his pose or expression to give them what they wanted in just one try.

     My pretty genius, just look at him. He really was born to do this. He's a natural top model. 

     The photographer asked Seongwoo to have an individual shot and he wanted it cute and then sexy. Seongwoo said he was a little shy and uncertain he could do well by himself and he wasn't sure how to portray those feelings well. Jihoon suggested they shift so that Seongwoo was looking at Daniel instead of in a direction where there was only blank space and the camera man.

     Daniel flushed as he overheard Jihoon tell Seongwoo to imagine Daniel was feeling sad about failing tests, which honestly wasn't ever far from the truth, even if he had tried pretty hard to study this time because he had wanted to show off his intelligence to Seongwoo. Jihoon told Seongwoo to do things that would make Daniel smile and laugh.

     Well, there's hundreds but all he really has to do is just stand there being himself, Daniel thought.

     When Seongwoo first started by giving him that particularly irresistible pouty, big eyed look, putting his fingers up to his cheeks as an additional gesture of cute, Daniel knew he was done for. He laughed shyly, playing with the skin at his cheek, and felt his face heat. Ah, I'm so dead, the attack of cuteness has come, someone save me. He covered his face , laughed, and scrunched his nose as Seongwoo continued on with cheesy winks, peace signs, acting like a cat, sending hearts and flashing beaming, radiant smiles. He was the most adorable being on the planet officially.

     Then, it was time for sexy. Jihoon gave him some physical pointers of what to do while Daniel prayed silently to be spared and that Jihoon was giving him mild ideas. Seongwoo was sexy enough, especially recently, to give him wet dreams and turn him on with just some natural look or habit he had already. The last thing he needed was to learn actual seduction techniques.

     Daniel recalled in detail the hot, sensual way that Seongwoo had kissed when they tried making out at the coffee shop. He had moved his tongue and lips like an expert and the way that he had seemed enthusiastic and sure of himself made Daniel extremely excited. He also felt intimidated.

     Of course he wanted to make out with him more and progress to other sexually related things, but he felt like he wouldn't be good at it. He knew things in theory and his friends had given him plenty of overly detailed advice, unwanted as it was. He wanted Seongwoo to have a good time. Seeing as how he kept pushing for it, he was eager and excitedly looking forward to his first time. Daniel was worried he wouldn't be able to make him feel good or make some novice mistake.

     Just trying to lead their kisses, he had felt shaky with nerves and awkward as his mind went blank. Having sex would be much worse he feared. He would probably freeze up when he saw the boy's naked body or he would come early just from the extreme pleasure of Seongwoo kissing and touching him. Daniel wanted to impress and care for him, but the fact was that he was a virgin unprepared who knew little knowledge of the practice field.

     That's it, I don't care if it's a disaster, we're going to my place and we're going to fool around until I'm practiced and comfortable enough. I am sick of my own cowardice and negativity. After a few times, I should naturally get the hang of it and we should maybe be able to at least get close to doing it. Maybe there will be some miracle, like I'm a super faster learner and natural sex machine once I get into the groove. We only made out twice after all, so I can't judge my skills with just that, right?

     Daniel made some calls to get a plan in motion. If he just had a few hours alone with Seongwoo on the pretext of doing something else where they would have to be on the same bed, then that would give them an opportunity to kiss as much as Seongwoo wanted.

     Seongwoo's gaze connected him from across the room with lidded, dark eyes that said 'come to me' as if he somehow knew what Daniel was considering. His lips parted and slowly licked his bottom one. Then, he reached up and played with his hair and caressed his bow-shaped lips with pale, elongated, gracefully moving fingers. Then he ran his hands down his body from his throat to his chest and tangled his hands in the shirt, staring at him lustfully. Then, he bit his lower lip, running his fingers along the rim of his jeans where his black boxers were exposed and pulling them down slightly.

     "Jeezus!" Daniel flew back in his chair which started tipping and he had to rush to right himself before he flipped backwards and knocked his head on the floor. Seongwoo had certainly seen his lame moment, judging by the way he was snickering.

     Freaking hell, where had Seongwoo learned how to do that, that was illegal! His dirty thoughts were now so terribly out of control he was a bit scared of himself. 

     Daniel jumped up and went to take a walk, fearing for his health and reputation if he stayed and watched more. He might be thrown out for public indecency since he was tempted to either touch himself or  give a pornographic show to the photographer right on the set. He had never wanted to fool around with Seongwoo so badly.

 

 

     After the camera wrapped up, Seongwoo bounded up to Daniel who was pacing a wide path around the boarders of the room. He had just gotten off the phone with Jisung to take care of the one obstacle keeping Seongwoo from being able to come over.

     "Daniel how was it?" Seongwoo asked eagerly for a performance critique.

     "Well, what did the photographer and Jihoon say?" Daniel smiled back at the positively radiant, ecstatic boy with his cheeks red and his face sweaty from the lights.

     Sometimes I really can't believe he's older than me by a year. He seems several years younger.

     "They said I'm a natural and seem like a professor!"

     Daniel softly chuckled a bit before correcting him because it had been awhile since he made a Korean mistake and this one was quite funny and cute.

     "Professional. That means you seem like you're a really experienced model. Not like the beginner amateur you actually are. I think so too, you have natural talent."

     Seongwoo suggested excitedly, "Let's look at the photos together. I want you to tell me honestly if I look good. Your opinion is the only one I care about."

     Daniel laughed and let the other take his hand, leading him to the computer with the raw photos displayed.

     He admitted sheepishly, "I'm not into fashion so I can't really judge that. And you look good to me everyday."

     "Still..." Seongwoo insisted with an aegyo-filled whine that made his heart summersault.

     "Okay, I will be honest," Daniel promised, giving in completely.

     The photographer flipped through the photos which were all amazing. Seongwoo frowned as he looked at them, apparently feeling wierd seeing his own face on a screen in high quality and unsure if he should be proud of it. He then glanced at Daniel's face, judging his reaction. Daniel was smiling huge and proud, sometimes gasping at certain pictures which just looked incredibly beautiful or intense.

     Jihoon was clapping and squealing excitedly, guessing about which one would be used. "This one. No no, this one. Oh, this one is perfect! Definitely this one. Oh my god, Seongwoo you're a natural modelling genius! There's not a bad one in the bunch. It took me a year to be able to do a shoot with all decent shots. It's darn near impossible."

     Jihoon tightly hugged Seongwoo around the waist, reminding Daniel of a baby monkey since he was quite a bit shorter, always clingy, and very round and cute in the face. Daniel looked warmly at Seongwoo, feeling immensely proud and amazed that this incredible also beautiful and talented person was his boyfriend. He pet the top of his head gently. Seongwoo looked up from Jihoon's head to meet his gaze, warmth, happiness, relief and pride mixed into his ethereal, soon to be seen all over Seoul  features.

     "Good job, Seongwoo. These photos are amazing. You're an incredible model. I'm glad we took a chance and tried this place out."

     "You approve then? Can I can keep modeling here?" He asked excitedly.

     "I wouldn't dream of stopping you. You like it and now we know obviously you're good at it."

     They left without removing Seongwoo's makeup because Jihoon indicated he keep it on as a memento and went to get ice cream. Jihoon said it was his treat for Seongwoo's first successful shoot. As they ate, Daniel feeding Seongwoo just for the fun of it and vice versa, Seongwoo and Jihoon discussed how the shoot went. Jihoon raved about how he had hardly seemed awkward or nervous at all. Seongwoo admitted he had been nervous and unsure until he had thought of Daniel and imagined they were just practicing like before.

     Seongwoo admitted sweetly, "Thinking that I'm with Daniel makes me comfortable."

     They shared sweet, loving, slightly shy smiles. Jihoon giggled, learning closer across the table to watch them. He looked like he was waiting for them to kiss but Daniel wasn't going to give him that pleasure again. It was their private, intimate moment and he wanted it to stay that way. Besides he was saving up for later when they got to his place and were all alone.

    "Aw, first loves sure are great, aren't they? I wonder if me and Guanlin ever looked like you two. I think we skipped this cute, fluffy stage and went straight to the one where we couldn't keep our hands off each other."

     Daniel and Seongwoo flushed at the mention of physical intimacy. Is he thinking what I'm thinking right now? Does he want to know what that stage is like too?

     Seongwoo gave Daniel a sidewise glance, putting his hand on his thigh like that time he'd pulled a seductive move out of nowhere. Just wait a bit and I will give you exactly what you're wanting, my innocent pervert.

 

 

     "We've got plans after, sorry," Daniel rejected Jihoon's offer to eat dinner together.

     After Jihoon had left them alone, Seongwoo asked curiously. "We do? What are we doing?" 

     "We're going to my place. I got Jaehwan to take care of the cat for a few hours tonight."

     "You did? Are you sure it's gone and, er...safe?" He asked with surprise.

     "Jisung texted me that it's all taken care of."

     Seongwoo's sharply groomed, dark brown eyebrows furrowed in a look of puzzlement.

     "Ah, really? Um, okay then... Let's get going. We're wasting time," he hesitated, then turned bright, hopefully at the prospect of them being alone in private and what that would mean. 

 

 

     "I got permission from Jaehwan already. They're going to take the cat awhile. I want you to bring him there," Daniel explained to Jisung over the phone that his boyfriend had a cat allergy so he couldn't come over unless the cat was gone.

     Daniel wanted to bring Seongwoo back to hang out and watch a movie after his boyfriend's modeling job was done. Jisung agreed after teasing him about his first time and reminding him of some last minute sexual tips and safe protection uses. Daniel snapped at him to get a life and a new hobby before hanging up.

     Jisung chuckled at his friend's cute reaction as he looked around for the cat. He couldn't find the animal anywhere, but he did find the necklace that he remembered Daniel had bought for Seongwoo inside the folds of an unused blanket. He wondered if it was possible that Daniel had brought Seongwoo over first but it didn't seem so. He would have warned him not to come home or told him at least so that he'd clean up or wouldn't come in and disturb then.

     Jisung looked around frantically but couldn't find the cat anywhere. He realized the door was cracked open. He had been taking a nap when Daniel left, so he knew it wasn't his fault. He messaged to check if Daniel left the door open but he messaged back that he hadn't and he had locked it.

     "Huh,  well that is odd. Odd indeed..." he muttered to himself.

     He next called and told Sungwoon that they had an emergency.

     "Don't tell me you think that Seongwoo is a cat man again just from the open door thing..."

     "Well, I still do. Even more so. He opened a locked door at least twice, my clothes are missing and when we met him I'm sure he was wearing a shirt of Dan's, and I found the necklace Daniel bought him hidden in some winter blankets we're not using. Why would Daniel hide the necklace? He wouldn't. But Seongwoo would. To hide his identity from me. I'm telling you, it's the truth! I wish there were some other explanation other than that Daniel is dating some supernatural being stalker fan. Really, I do. But there's no other logical explanation."

     "So, why exactly aren't we breaking up their date and exposing the feline right now then?" Sungwoon drawled in retort.

     Jisung sighed deeply. "I don't know.... I guess, I'm hoping in my heart I'm somehow wrong. I don't want to break Daniel's heart by being the bearer of terrible news. He just got a boyfriend and he seems to like Seongwoo so much, dammit..."

     "So, don't tell. Let's go try to find this cat. If we find him, you will have to let this insane theory go and Daniel can stay happy."

     "But what if Seongwoo has some evil plan? What if he's in danger? If he's not a catman, then he's definitely a stalker who breaks into our home. I can't leave my best friend who's like a son to me in the perverted hands of a lying, manipulative, thieving stalker."

     "Like I said about that.." Sungwoon started to say with an airy tone.

     Jisung harshly snapped, "Shut up! Daniel would not like being sleep raped, okay? Not by a human stalker named Seongwoo or a half cat, leather dressed one. He's not a freak, he has principles and he's still innocent, unlike you."

     Sungwoon should have sounded cross or frustrated but he was oddly being understanding and easygoing today. "Don't take jabs on me now, honey. The one you want to hurt is Seongwoo. Try to talk a bit nicer to me, hmm?"

     Jisung massaged his aching temples and closed his eyes. "Ugh, I want to hurt him so bad right now. No more pretending to be nice and giving him the benefit of the doubt just because Dan likes him. I take back everything I said about trying to be friends. I'm going to claw up his pretty, deceiving face when I see him alone. I'm going to directly confront him and make him leave Daniel alone, wether he's a catman or a stalker. I can't let Daniel be with a wierdo who lies to him, no matter if he may truly love and care for him. Their love is based on lies, which you can't call really love at all."

      "Wow, you are really upset and passionate about this, huh? Sometimes I forget how much you care about Dan. I wonder if our situations were reversed if you would do the same for me...."

     Sungwoon sounded hurt and was clearly pouting now. That was the last straw that shattered Jisung's already strung hair-thin patience.

     "Ha Sungwoon! I don't have the time for your stupid, unbased inferiority complex! Of course I care about you more than I would Daniel. I love you to death. If your positions would be reversed, I would have already murdered that bitch just on the idea of him lying to you, alright? Now get the frick over here before I cut you!"

     Sungwoon laughed hysterically, seeming to find his outburst much more amusing than threatening as he had intended. "Well, that is sure attractive..."

     "Ha. Sung. Woon. I swear..." Jisung loudly snapped into the phone, more pissed than he'd ever been at him for not taking this situation seriously and being immature about his relationship with Daniel.

     He'd told him a million times Daniel was a friend he cared about and nothing more, yet his jealousy knew no bounds.

     "I'm coming. Don't get your sparkly thong all in a bunch up your pert ass."

     Jisung hung up with a scream of frustration and threw the phone on his bed. "Fucking Ong Seongwoo, how dare you do this to my best friend... You're not going to get away with this anymore! I'm going to expose the truth today somehow..."

 

To be continued....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the first angst arc of this series arrives~! Well, I hope you enjoyed the fluff and comedy and Daniel X Winkboy mixed in here before overly protective detective Jisung eventually came to ruin the day just like I have been hinting at. I hope you don't end up hating him. He's really angry and overwhelmed right now by lack of sleep and stress over what to think and what to do about Seongwoo so honestly he's not in his right mind these days or able to think rationally. I know he says some bad words and terrible things about Seongwoo here but he doesn't actually hate him believe it or not(Just the idea of his betrayal and super high level of creepy makes him blinded by anger). I think that you guys would probably come to a similar conclusion as him and likely even act the same way. I know that I would try to protect my friend from someone that all the logical signs pointing to being total bad news, even if they loved them a lot, because I wouldn't want my friend to get hurt and screwed over more later. The human world is just filled with too many two-faced people, right?
> 
> The parts in the beginning about modeling tips are things that I have taken and heard often from America's Next Top Model. I think I saw the first ten seasons or so all the way through. I love that you could learn a ton about modeling and fashion from that show and I love the creative aspect behind each photo concept. I hope you could picture the photoshoot scenes well. I actually love watching people do photoshoots, it seems so fun~ For me, I hate taking photos because when I'm asked to pose or give a different explanation my mind goes blank completely.
> 
> See you next weekend with the continuation of this angsty arc. It's going to span about four more chapters. Hang on to your chairs and prepare your kleenex for a bumpy ride. The next chapter is going to have some sweet, slightly hot(in a suggestive way more than graphic)moments and then something interesting happening towards the end. What we have all been dreading and worrying would appear the last twenty chapters, Seongwoo's true nature is going to get exposed, from his own mistake which gives Jisung reason and opportunity to reveal all the evidence he's collected. All in a misguided attempt to protect Daniel from 'evil'. Leave a comment and let me know how you think this reveal of Seongwoo's identity is going to happen. I'm curious what you guys will end up guessing ^^ 
> 
> Thanks for the loving comments always! You guys sure are enthusiastic and have a ton to say! Super glad to hear you love the maknae line. I promise they will be coming out more in the future and later they will even meet up with the hyung line~ 
> 
> Please check out my other stories if you have the time. Now they are all being posted week by week on here and not just AFF where they are almost finished if not finished already. I will only be updating these stories once on the weekend unless I can get the time sometime in the middle of the week for a second update which I doubt. My job is really hectic and I have school work to be working on at home as well. I have started a very new one-shot series and I'm totally new to one-shots and there's going to be a variety of W1 couples with romantic situations related to W1's songs with connections to the lyrics, mood, story line, and/or concept. I would really appreciate it you would look at those, just for those that may not know~


	22. Fantasies Don't Last Forever Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seongwoo gets careless one too many times, Jisung collects proof and continues to get more suspicious, the cat gets out of the bag in the most horrific of ways. Just when Daniel and Seongwoo were making progress with their intimacy.

"This is my dorm! It's a bit small and clustered, sorry for that. I'm kind of a slob." Daniel opened the door in a gentlemanly fashion, gesturing Seongwoo into his humble abode.

     Seongwoo chuckled and smiled mysteriously. "I guessed that much."

     Daniel replied in surprise, "You did? How? You must be intuitive like Jisung."

     Seongwoo hummed. "Yeah, something like that."

     Seongwoo walked in to the dorm room briefly, looked around the room, and then sat on his bed like he was the owner of it rather than a first time guest. Daniel liked his confidence almost as much as the look of his handsome lover on his bed which was already making his thoughts drift to darker places.

     "So, what did you want to do here? Are we going to study? Do some homework?" He asked curiously with an air of nonchalance like he was up for anything, which Daniel was delighted at. It certainly bid well for his plan.

     Daniel sat down and brought his tablet over. "I was thinking we would watch a movie. That will be good Korean practice for you. I have a lot of movies. Why don't you choose one?"

     Seongwoo scooted closer until their sides and legs were pressing right up against each other. He leaned over and hummed as his fingers scrolled through the list of file titles. Daniel breathed in his citrusy scent, his body tingling and pleasantly warm where it made contact with the other's. He sighed with pleasure.

     Hmm, it's good to be alone finally. All the things I could do if only I was brave and confident enough to try. I'm pretty sure he would let me do anything. Be brave Daniel, don't be such a wussy virgin like the other guys tease you about all the time. Let's prove them wrong by getting some action started today. Seongwoo wants it anyway, you know that. Just think of yourself as an adult video actor.

     Daniel wrapped his arm around Seongwoo's back and as he was looking through videos, he subtly slid it lower. Oh my gosh, I'm touching a part of his bum now! Stay calm dude, don't freak out yet, be cool, you're doing good.

     Seongwoo didn't seem to notice or maybe he wasn't effected by skinship so much. He just kept on doing what he was doing.

     "This one! Can we watch it?" He was pointing at an animation movie called The Little Mermaid.

     Daniel smiled wide in delight. "Oh, you like Disney movies too? The others make fun of me for liking animated things. They say I'm a permanent child and I'll never get a date."

     Seongwoo clicked on the video and the opening started. Then, he sat up straight just a few inches away, face to face with him.

     "Well, you got a boyfriend with the same tastes. So you stuck it to them twice!"

     Daniel laughed as Seongwoo pretended to fiercely box, breathing out noisily and scrunching up his face in a way that was supposed to resemble a professional fighter. Daniel had taught Seongwoo about the UFC the other day and he was pretty into it still.

     "Woah there, tiger~ You be careful now before you punch someone's teeth out."

     Daniel grabbed his fist and put it on his lap next to the tablet. He gently forced Seongwoo to open his hand and then played with his long, dainty fingers.

     "Can you do that? So cool! Teach me," Seongwoo said excitedly, with a pleading tone.

      "Sorry, I'm more of a defense guy than an attacker," he admitted with embarrassment.

     "Why did you learn defense?" Seongwoo cocked his head curiously, as cat-like as ever.

     Daniel avoided those pretty, searching eyes, afraid he would see right through him into his dark memories. "Long, sad story for another time. It will ruin the mood. Let's get comfortable and watch the movie. It's starting."

     He gave Seongwoo a forced smile and airy tone though an onslaught of unhappy memories came to him. He had been often physically bullied at his elementary school and after that, he had learned defensive martial arts just in case anyone at his new school found out or those bullies from his previous school ran into him and tried something. He never wanted to feel that helpless and pained again.

     The bruises and cuts had long healed and he was strong now but the wound inside hadn't healed quite yet. So he wasn't comfortable talking to anyone about it. He didn't want to show his weak, insecure, haunted self and he certainly didn't want Seongwoo to see him cry, which was what was probably going to happen if he relived those horrid months and the fear, introverted and private lifestyle, self loathing, and distrust of people he had lived with for years and still lingered here and there in his system.

     Seongwoo brushed his arm in comfort, saying softly, "Okay, if you ever want to tell me about it, just do it. I will listen."

     Daniel and Seongwoo then moved back to sit against the wall. Daniel wrapped his arm around the other's shoulders and they continued to hold hands. Seongwoo played with the watch Daniel was wearing, Seongwoo's gift from the other day when he had got scouted.

     They silently watched the movie for thirty minutes like that, except for when Seongwoo sang the songs. It seemed like he had seen this movie several times. He knew what was going to happen before it occurred and the dialogue and lyrics to the songs. Daniel asked him about it after awhile.

     "I watched it several times but I never get tired of it. I feel like I can identify with it."

     "You're a girl with a fish tail in love with a rich idiot you know nothing about?" Daniel raised an eyebrow and questioned.

     Seongwoo giggled and hit his stomach with their own linked hands. Daniel loved the feeling of the vibration and warmth on his chest. Cuddling with Seongwoo was stellar, almost as much as kissing him.

     "It's because she wants to be human and live in the human world. She wants to learn everything as fast as she can but she makes all these silly mistakes. She also has a handicap that makes it hard for her to have a real relationship with the prince and a jerky, conservative, controlling father that doesn't put her needs first. It's just like me. I like that she has a happy ending despite all her struggles and obstacles. She gets everything she wants and in the end she was even accepted fully from the prince. She didn't have to hide anything anymore."

     Daniel furrowed his brows as he listened closely, curious how this chick flick fantasy could possibly relate to him. "Wait, so you're hiding something from me you think I wouldn't accept? And your father doesn't approve of you living in Korea or being with a Korean guy?"

     Seongwoo nodded. "Yes, exactly."

     "Well, exactly when are you going to tell me this big secret of yours?" Daniel asked flirtily. "You're part girl? You're engaged back home to some awful rich ajumma? You actually speak fluent Korean and you've been hiding it just to be cute?"

     Seongwoo giggled and shook his head at each ridiculous thing. "I will tell you when you're ready. I think it's something that will shock you but that you will actually be happy about in the long run. It's like you had to pay for two drinks at the convenience store and then you found out it's a one plus one sale so you get a great deal. That's a hint for you."

     "Huh, interesting. Well, whatever you're hiding, I trust you have a reason and I will accept you unconditionally. Whatever baggage you have, whatever baggage I have, we should accept each other for who we are, including our darker pasts and our secrets. Nice wording though. You're speaking Korean really well these days. You've hardly made any mistakes."

     Seongwoo turned his head that was resting on his shoulder to him. Daniel blushed, having got caught in the middle of watching him which he had been doing the whole movie so far. Seongwoo hadn't looked away from the screen until then, so he didn't know. Seongwoo had a twinkle in his eyes and a crooked smile. Daniel had some idea what he was going to ask already and he was delighted.

     He's going to give me the opportunity I've been waiting to make myself, even earlier than I expected.

     "Shouldn't I get some reward for studying hard and remembering your lessons?" He asked coyly, innocently blinking his large, sparkling eyes.

     Daniel hugged him around the waist, bringing him closer and tilting his head at the perfect angle to kiss. He slipped forward and looked longingly at the boy's pink, shapely bow lips.

     "What were you thinking of as a proper reward for your impressive genius?" Daniel asked with a low and husky tone he hoped was seductive. He had never intentionally tried it before so he couldn't be sure if he was doing it right. 

     Seongwoo flushed and shyly put his finger on his mouth, tapping in the middle of his lower fuller lip. Daniel chuckled as he pecked him once and reached up to brush his thumb along his jaw bone.

     "You're adorable, Seongwoo, you know that?" He murmured with adoration. 

     "Hmm, I kind of had some idea. It would be lying if I said I'm utterly clueless about that," Seongwoo whispered with a cute giggle that tingled against Daniel's lips at the last part because he was coming forward to kiss him more.

     Daniel allowed it, relished it in fact. The fact that Seongwoo was not only enthusiastically responsive to intimacy but active about initiating and prolonging it helped their relationship a lot. It certainly made it easier for a coward like him.

     I hope that he does what he did last time. Yes~ He groaned as Seongwoo hurried to get their kisses progressing from innocent pecks by teasingly licking his lip, pressing him to open his mouth.

     Daniel eagerly obeyed, meeting the other's curious, searching tongue with his own eager one. They playfully swirled their tongues, softly wrestling for dominance. Seongwoo suddenly entangled his fingers in the back of the human's hair and pulled him closer. Daniel groaned with excitement and delighted surprise. He used one hand to pull the shifter's upper body close so that their chests were touching and another hand to copy his gesture. Seongwoo moaned sweetly, a sound that Daniel decided he loved on his first hearing of it.

     How can I get him to do that again? I desperately want to hear that sexy sound again. He remembered what Seongwoo had done at the cafe that had made him nearly insane with want.

     He pulled back a hair and turned the opposite way, changing the angle of the kiss. They slowly slid their tongues back and forth and nipped and sucked at each other's lips, then he switched the angle again. They went noisily back and forth like this, humming and moaning softly in excited pleasure. He got to hear Seongwoo's sweet moan several more times and he had already become addicted to it.

     Things were going extremely well after ten minutes of noisy, slow, rather passionate and adventurous kisses. Their breaths were shallow, their faces hot and dripping sweat, their hands shaking and hearts racing, but they didn't make a move to stop. Daniel wanted to progress further than this and debated where to start with the next step. What had his friends said about foreplay again? He thought about it awhile and got a strategy in his mind before acting on it.

     He first moved the tablet away. Then, he started to lean into Seongwoo as they kissed, making him naturally lean back. Daniel gently pushed him so they were fully laying on their sides, stretched out on the bed. They continued hugging and kissing, their bodies touching just a bit to be enticing but not enough to be lewd or drive either beyond control.

     Slow, slow, it feels great but you have to go slow, we can't go all the way yet. Calm down, man~ When Daniel broke contact with him, Seongwoo whined and tried to follow his lips. Daniel nudged his chin with his nose instead of allowing him. Seongwoo obediently lifted his head up. Daniel kissed gently all along his neck, making the boy squirm and dig his nails into his back.

     Daniel felt drunk off Seongwoo's citrusy scent and his mind was fuzzy with lust. He wanted to taste and compare the sweetness with that of the taste of his mouth. He tried to suck under his jaw, not too hard or he would leave a mark behind. Seongwoo gasped and moaned, his body tensing up with excitement under his hands. Then, Daniel kissed up his jaw and pushed his head to turn to the right so he could kiss his ear. He licked along the soft, pale rim then took his earlobe into his mouth. Seongwoo moaned and whined, seeming to be really sensitive there. Daniel slipped his hand in his shirt to feel his silky smooth stomach curiously, continuing to suck and nibble along his ear.

     Hmm this is really fun, Jaehwan really knows what he's talking about. I can't believe I'm finally doing this and somehow not losing my cool. And it seems like I'm not half bad since he seems to be enjoying it.

     "Ah, Daniel, s-stop...stop!" Seongwoo suddenly groaned, gasping for breath and squirming. 

     Daniel instantly froze and pulled his lips off, worried he had done something wrong as he got overly confident and careless in his excitement. He looked at how Seongwoo's face was red and he was groaning in pain and sweat beading his forehead.

     "Are you alright?" He asked in concern. "Was I hurting you?"

     "No, I just feel really sick..." Seongwoo whispered weakly.

     Daniel felt crestfallen. Now their playtime had to cease, a bit earlier then he had planned. But he would never push Seongwoo. "Oh, I'm sorry. Bad timing."

     Seongwoo snuggled in to his chest, groaning as if in pain. Daniel hugged him close and pet the back of his head comfortingly.

     "Take a rest. I won't try anything more." He was feeling really horny right now so he could use a few moments to cool down anyway. 

       "Can we try one thing?" Seongwoo asked softly.

      He smiled but hesitated to say yes right away because he was worried he wouldn't be able to stop himself this time. "Sure, one more thing."

     Daniel felt a bit apprehensive and he hated to reject him but he would do so for his sake. He had more resistance and will-power than Seongwoo and he wasn't objected to using it for Seongwoo's health. Seongwoo rolled over and pressed back into his chest. Then, he pulled Daniel's arm around his chest.

     He whispered shyly, "I wanted to try laying like this with you once..."

     We are spooning right now, oh my god~ What an amazing day this is! He moved closer so their bodies were pressed together from chest and back to their ankles. Seongwoo smiled sweetly and hummed.

     "Feeling better?" Daniel whispered a few minutes later as he watched the movie and Seongwoo seemed to sleep.

     His eyes blinked closed and open cutely in that signature, cat-like way of his. "Just a bit. I think your kisses made me much too happy."

     Daniel whined sympathetically and pet his hair. "Sorry, I was going too fast. I didn't mean to do so much in one day. I was too into it."

     "No, don't be sorry. You made me feel good. I wanted it. I wanted even more to be honest. It's a shame I started feeling unwell now of all times..."

     He reassured with a gentle, understanding tone, "We can do more later, but this shows why we should take it slow like I said. I hope you will feel better soon. Just watch the movie like this. I will keep holding you if it makes you feel better. I will never let you go..."

     Daniel kissed Seongwoo's temple and laid his head on his, rubbing his stomach comfortingly.  Apparently getting too horny or kissing a lot made Seongwoo feel sick again, or maybe it was all a coincidence. He would need to go slow with the foreplay progress next time. This time he had stimulated him too fast.

     They stayed like that until the movie was over. Luckily by then Seongwoo was feeling all better. He rolled over and they enjoyed kissing again. Seongwoo allowed some touching of his stomach and back under his shirt but Daniel didn't attempt other foreplay.

     Then, Seongwoo said that he wanted to try what Daniel had done earlier. Daniel got a bit of a taste of his own medicine and it was bittersweet. He especially heated up and turned noisy when Seongwoo sucked and licked along his neck. Seongwoo was much better at it he thought, to the point Daniel almost doubted if it was his first time trying foreplay. He was a natural expert just like he had been with making out. Daniel even learned a few new moves he decided to try next time.

 

 

     Jisung and Sungwoon had looked all over for the cat. The only thing Jisung had found were a pile of his clothes discarded in a bush at the other end of campus oddly enough.

     Then, Jisung resigned himself to just go back home and tell Daniel that he had lost the cat somehow while he was asleep. When he got back, however, the cat was sleeping on the bed. He was sure he had locked the door when he went out and Daniel wasn't home.

     "Okay, how are you doing that? And why did you take my clothes outside?" He cried in frustration but the cat didn't even twitch an ear.

     The door suddenly opened and Daniel came in, back from his date. He was smiling greasily, like he had had the best day ever. 

     "You picked him up already? That's great. I just took Seongwoo home."

     "Just took him home? How long ago?" Jisung asked suspiciously, eyes narrowed at the still soundly sleeping cat. 

     "About five or ten minutes ago."

     How could Seongwoo possibly get here in five minutes without Daniel seeing him and open the shut door? Did the cat first change into human form to open the door and then change into his cat form in just five minutes? He was fast then, that stinking catman, Ong Seongwoo.

     "So how was the date?" Jisung asked brightly, deciding to put his suspicions aside for a more appropriate time.

     As Daniel gushed on and on about Seongwoo while patting the cat who looked up at him after waking up with utter human like adoration, Jisung lost his nerve even though he was pretty sure his crazy theory was real. After all, no matter how much he disliked and distrusted him, he couldn't spill the secret and hurt Daniel by disappointing him. Anyway, without more concrete proof, Daniel was likely not to believe him and think he was crazy just like Sungwoon was, maybe even move out of their dorm room. Then, Jisung had no hope of protecting him at all, whatever the stalker/supernatural cat transformer's intentions were.

     He lied with the most believable fake bright smile he could muster. "I'm happy for you. It sounds like you guys are progressing perfectly."

 

 

     Seongwoo couldn't sleep in his cat form that night. He was feeling sick again. He needed to get into his human form where the symptoms were easier to manage when the heat wave came.

     He looked over at Jisung. Jisung appeared to have finally fallen asleep. He had been oddly staring at him since Daniel got home and woke him up from his nap, like he was waiting for him to do something bad so he could accuse him, rat him out to Daniel and get him into trouble. It was probably because he had disappeared from the room and came back by himself, so Jisung was trying to figure out his trick for opening the door. 

     Daniel had fallen asleep over an hour ago at least, judging by how the blankets were kicked to the foot of the bed and he was lightly snoring, his blond flop of hair looking like he had tossed around and touched it in his sleep.

     It was safe, Seongwoo knew. It wasn't the first time he had turned into his human form, though usually it was to cuddle and sneak innocent kisses with Daniel when he really missed seeing him between dates.

     He transformed on the floor and then crawled on the bed next to Daniel. He laid there and sighed in relief. Much of the pain and heat was gone. He was able to focus on his surroundings again.

     He rolled on his side, watching Daniel sleep which was one of his favorite night activities. He recalled the amazing feeling of their special, advanced course make-out session tonight. It had been incredible, especially the feel of Daniel's hands which had made the symptoms of 'horny' go unbearable. He regretted that he had asked Daniel to stop because part of him really hadn't wanted to.

     The cuddling afterward had been amazing too though. Seongwoo was starting to understand why humans touched each other and pressed their bodies up together so much. Looking at unconscious Daniel and being so close was too tempting to resist for long. He pressed up close to Daniel and wrapped his arm around his chest. He brushed his nose against his cheek and then pecked the area a few times.

     He froze as Daniel hummed and started moving. The sleeping man rolled over and wrapped his arm around Seongwoo. Seongwoo remained still, Daniel's sleeping, scrunched face just inches from him on the pillow.

     A minute later and Daniel was still asleep and Seongwoo felt tempted and brave again. He scooted closer and kissed him on the lips a few times. Daniel called his name and kissed him back in his sleep like he sometimes did.

     Seongwoo knew that Daniel had dreams about being intimate with him which made him wake up very horny and itchy. He would go to the bathroom with his tablet and come back smelling of that familiar bitter, acidic, fragrant fluid, meaning that he relieved the pain and uncomfortableness the sickness brought on. Though Seongwoo still didn't know what he had to do to exactly because Daniel shut the door and had refused to talk about it since their first conversation about it.

     "Seongwoo? Am I dreaming again?" A thick, deep, sleepy voice grumbled.

     Seongwoo's eyes popped open. Daniel was awake, his eyes squinting sleepily at him. He chose not to say anything and not get alarmed or move in a way that would condemn him. He smiled and kissed him firmly. Daniel rubbed his hand down his back and hummed, kissing him back harder.

     "I must be. You're in my bed naked... Well, since it's a dream, let's continue where we left off earlier..." He mumbled, seeming excited and playful.

     Seongwoo gasped as he was flipped underneath Daniel's body all of a sudden. Daniel laid over him, brushing his hair as he eagerly stuck his tongue into his mouth. Daniel's hot hands caressed his arm, side, and then stomach and thighs curiously, making him tingle and groan.

     That feels so good. The pain he was feeling somehow transformed into something like a pleasant, tingly ache and a part of his body was swelling. He didn't understand this new feeling but he really liked it. Daniel was kissing him differently, it was more demanding, enthusiastic, and wild. It was like he...needed his kisses desperately, like he was starving or not capable of breathing without stealing his own oxygen.

     It sparked a fierce animalistic instinct in Seongwoo he had never experienced before. He made sounds more similar to what he heard male shifters make in mating season in the shades of the trees away from their usual quarters, an excited, rough, noisy, breathy mewling sound. Daniel groaned as he moved to suck his bottom lip. Then he touched more of Seongwoo's chest and started sucking and chewing on his ear like he had earlier in the day when they both found out it was a step of the mating process intimacy they both enjoyed.

     Daniel huskily whispered in a tone thick with desire, "That's a beautiful sound, Seongwoo. I want to hear it some more. Do that again, won't you..."

    "Daniel..." he whined softly and the sound slipped out some more since the way the other was touching and licking him even more enthusiastically now felt incredible.

     Daniel held his hands above his head and started kissing him harshly again. He stopped to catch his breath and smiled down at him several minutes of passionate tongue kisses and nips later.

     "This is the best wet dream ever, it's so realistic. God damn, but you are beautiful," Daniel murmured in delight as he sat up enough to look at Seongwoo's bare chest.

     Seongwoo smiled shyly. He stole a glimpse of that barely tan, muscular, hard chest he had seen and secretly touched often. 

     Seongwoo whispered bashfully, "You're beautiful too."

     He chuckled and smiled warmly. "Thanks, I guess."

     Daniel went back to kissing him, more sweet and less urgent and controlling this time. Suddenly, the room was glaring bright. The lights had come on. Daniel sat up, squinting around in confusion. Seongwoo wrapped the blankets around his bared body, panicking as Jisung looked at him with an angry face, pointing an accusing finger.

     "I knew it! Ong Seongwoo, I caught you now. You tell him everything!"

     Seongwoo whimpered and teared up, bringing the blankets up more as protection. What can I do? Jisung must know something... Whatever he has theorised, this certainly doesn't look good, me naked in Daniel's bed when I shouldn't be able to get in here and the cat no where to be found.

     "Tell me what? Jisung, what are you doing in my dream?" Daniel frowned at him, eye looking half asleep and hair tussled.

     Then he went over to Seongwoo and wiped the tears from his cheek, looking worried. "Don't talk to him like that either, dream or not. Hey, Seongwoo, whatever is going on it's okay, so don't cry."

     "Daniel, you are not sleeping anymore, you idiot! Seongwoo broke into our home, got naked, snuck in your bed, and tricked you into fooling around. It's not the first time either. He's a stalker trying to rape you. From the beginning, he was after you, setting you up to like him, pretending to be all sweet, innocent, and clueless."

     "Huh? What are you saying? What's with all this crazy talk in the middle of the night?"

     Daniel looked between them with a dumbfounded expression. Seongwoo put his head into his blanketed knees and sobbed, his body shaking. He was overcome with despair. Jisung was going to make him out to be a creep and pervert and Daniel was going to hate him and find him disgusting. He was never going to want to see his human form again. There was nothing he could say to get out of it, and saying the truth was only bound to produce a worse reaction from the both of them.

     "That's not all. I know who he really is. The same name, the similar habits, the mysterious happenings, the mating and polygamy of his culture, why no one in the fashion department knows him, why he's hesitant to talk about his country, how the cat always is nowhere to be found when you go on a date, how the cat is able to clean and open doors and even read, how I found my clothes in the bushes..."

     "No..!" Seongwoo's head shot up and he shouted in horror as every word shot like arrows of truth through his skin, spilling out things he didn't want his mate to know of one after another in rapid succession..

     He shot a pleading look at Jisung not to say what he was clearly getting at. Judging from what he said, Jisung had eventually been able to piece everything together. It would be impressive if it wasn't Seongwoo's worst nightmare suddenly come to life.

     "He can transform into a cat! Ong Seongwoo is our cat Seongwoo!" Jisung shouted with a wild look in his eyes, jabbing his finger at the sobbing boy a flustered, puzzled Daniel was weakly attempting to comfort.

     Daniel was unsure of anything that was going on and the scene was dramatic and the accusations made comical enough to possibly still be a dream. A sinking feeling and the knots forming in his stomach as he gradually woke up, watching over the tense, repeating scenes of his best friend yelling accusations and his boyfriend sobbing hysterically made him think he wasn't dreaming anymore, unfortunately. Sometimes reality was actually crazier than any thing he could have imagined up in a dream...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be continued from here but it will be called a different name that's why I didn't say 'to be continued'. So, the cat is out of the bag and Seongwoo and Daniel's fantasy relationship is now over. Not saying their relationship is over, but it's going to be getting complicate from here. That is why the last two chapters are called Fantasies Don't Last Forever. I wanted you to see that Ongniel's relationship is similar to The Little Mermaid's story, which is a fantasy. It was going really well for a long time, but well, fantasies and movies have something in common, which is that they end sometime. The 'perfect' lovey-dovey, no problem stage of Ongniel was just a fantasy and now they're going to be roughly, cruelly pushed into the reality, which they are both not at all prepared for to deal with.
> 
> The parts after this are extremely emotional, so I decided to cut this chapter short with this being the more romantic and then dramatic part. I wanted to give you a good amount of feel-good moments with Ongniel and then the thrilling drama of detective Jisung and never knowing when he's going to drop this huge bomb he has. He finally got the opportunity he had been waiting for with Seongwoo slipping up. Seongwoo made the stupidest mistake of his life right there, along with all the other thoughtless little things he did that piled up evidence against him, and I'm sure you guys were yelling at him not to change when Jisung was pretending to sleep. Well, he was either pretending or he was just unable to sleep deeply because of his worries and suspicions, I will leave it up to your train of thought. It could be either way since I wasn't specific about it. Most importantly, Jisung said Seongwoo's secret. He has yet to reveal all the why's and how's of his cat-man theory and we have yet to know if Seongwoo will confess or if Daniel will believe any of this. You will just have to wait and see in the next chapter~
> 
> For now, unfortunately, Ongniel's 'mating' sessions are ceased indefinitely. On Saturday, prepare your tissues and I'm sorry in advance. It's just got to be done(just one really angsty chapter coming up, the others aren't so bad, promise). It pains me just thinking about what I wrote and I haven't even edited it since I wrote it weeks ago! I will go soon and make it even more emotional~ I actually really enjoy writing angst next to fluff and smut.
> 
> Tell me your thoughts! And I'm curious how you think the next chapter will go~ How will Dan find out, how will he take the news, and what will happen to their relationship?
> 
> I promise this story will eventually have a happy ending~ And a few more episodes later there will be more Ongniel fluff.
> 
> <3 Raina


	23. Exposed(Nothing Without You)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jisung exposes Seongwoo for all that he thinks. It turns out he has a lot more proof than Seongwoo could have predicted. He has no choice but to admit. Seongwoo's identity is revealed and a huge amount of drama ensues. Daniel is shocked, confused, and upset to say the least.

"Tell him. Or show him. You better, right now. If you don't do either, I am throwing you out of this room right now, you freak!"

Jisung grabbed on to Seongwoo's arm to pull him off the bed. A fight ensued as Seongwoo violently shook his head and refused to move. Jisung yanked harder and Seongwoo fell on to the floor in a heap of blankets as a result of their struggle with a loud, painful sounding thump that made the other two wince.

"Jisung, stop that now! You need to calm the fuck down! You could have hurt him! Seongwoo, are you okay?"

Daniel knelt down after yelling harshly at Jisung and fixed the blanket that had slipped to reveal the crying boy's pale skin. He gasped as he saw some healed scars from cuts on his back and chest.

Where did he get those? More importantly, what is he crying for and why was he naked in my bed in the middle of the night? What is Jisung going crazy about?

Realizing this wasn't a dream yet wishing it was, Daniel tried to lift Seongwoo up back on to the bed which was more comfortable than the hard floor but he wouldn't budge. He just curled up in a ball, crying hysterically. Daniel sighed in frustration and raked his hands through his hair. He forced himself to be patient and act extra kind. He took a few silent moments and tried to reason out the chaos that was happening around him. Then, an idea struck him like lightening. He sat down next to Seongwoo and smiled sweetly. He brushed the back of his hair.

"Seongwoo, hey, talk to me. Calm down, please. Shh. Stop crying for a second. Hmm? Is this about that secret you told me about before? You said you were hiding something important you planned on telling me later. Maybe it's time to tell me..." He whispered softly and brushed the back of the boy's bowed head.

Seongwoo continued to weep, his tears leaving a large wet pool in the blankets, his eyes squeezed shut with clear liquid streaming out and dripping down his nose. Daniel tried another approach. He pulled Seongwoo close and rocked him against his chest, holding him tight and brushing the back of his head.

"Okay then, you cry it out first. You can tell me later when you're calm. I will listen and I won't be angry with you or anything. I promise. I will love you no matter what."

"Are you sure you can love a freak that turns into a cat to stalk you and take advantage of you?" Jisung scoffed, standing near by with his arms crossed angrily.

"Jisung, that's enough! Stop spitting nonsense!" Daniel snapped, glaring at his friend who seemed to be down right mean and his accusations insane. How was any of that possible?

"I have proof it's not nonsense!" Jisung insisted.

Daniel sighed and ran a hand down his tired face. "Seriously... Whatever, Jisung. Show me your so called proof but I'm not making any judgements until I hear his side as well. End of story."

Jisung put out a pile of dirty clothes, a silver necklace, Daniel's notebook and tablet on the floor. "Evidence in case point one, my clothes have been disappearing here and there for weeks. I found them tonight in the bushes near where you said Seongwoo lives. Don't they look familiar?"

Daniel looked through them carefully. Even though they were dirty, they were certainly the clothes that Seongwoo had worn on some of their dates, including tonight's. He recognized them as he kept a mental note of everything related to his crush. 

"Evidence in case point two, I found this necklace hidden in our winter blankets. I assume you have no idea about that?"

Daniel picked up the silver chain and looked at it closely, his other hand still wrapped around Seongwoo who was weakly sobbing a river onto his chest, his frail body shaking slightly. It was the exact same as the necklace he bought for him. He checked the other's neck. Seongwoo didn't have it on.

So he had hid it in our room? Or it had fallen off? And he had stolen Jisung's clothes? What could be a logical reason for any of that?

He tried to reason but he sounded hesitant, "Maybe he doesn't have many nice clothes and he felt embarrassed, so he borrowed yours and was going to return them after washing. And he was here earlier. Maybe the necklace fell off while we were fooling around."

"Are you sure he had it on today?"

"Yes, I'm sure he...." Daniel drifted off into silence.

Actually he didn't wear it today. Daniel hadn't seen or felt it when he kissed his neck, he recalled. He couldn't recall seeing it earlier in the day either.

"Evidence in case point three, here is a picture. He took it a couple days after we found the cat and before you met him. He's in our room wearing my shirt. He either broke into our place or he was already there when we left."

Daniel checked the picture, shocked to find it was true. Seongwoo had been in their room before he knew of him and he had worn Jisung's clothes. The door had been locked so how could he have gotten in? That was when his side of the room had started to appear very clean too but Jisung had been working that whole day. Seongwoo had broken in to clean my room? And why would he wear Jisung's clothes? He didn't have any of his own?

"Evidence in case point four, look at your notes. You said Seongwoo and the cat are similar in a lot of ways. They have the same habits and likes. There's a ton of other things you know about already but haven't thought of clearly. He speaks our language but doesn't know the most mundane things. In his culture they don't get married, they have heat cycles, and they have temporary mates. We found the cat in the woods. Seongwoo said he's from a village in the woods. He said he's from Shifteralia, get it? Shifter as in transformer plus 'alia' from Australia. Cat shifter, that's what he is. The timing and all the evidence matches up."

Daniel looked at Seongwoo silently for several minutes. He thought of what he had written down and observed. The things that made the cat seem human, the things that made the human seem cat like. He thought of what Seongwoo had said about his culture and how he didn't know the most basic of things yet spoke almost fluent Korean. He thought about the cat's heat cycle and how Seongwoo had seemed obsessed with getting physical and had gotten sick today as well. He thought of everything that Jisung had pointed out that pointed to him being a stalker that frequently broke in and messed with their stuff which didn't make any logical sense with his personality.

If Seongwoo was a shifter living with them, it would all make sense somehow, more logical than the other option. Not having clothes of his own, being naked now, the cat disappearing sometimes, the room getting mysteriously cleaned, his necklace being hidden here, the picture of him in his tablet before he had met him. Strangely the only logical explanation was that his boyfriend was living a double life as the cat sleeping in his home. He recalled those times that Seongwoo knew things he didn't recall telling him and then what he had said today about being similar to the mermaid who wants to he human and live in the human world, being accepted by the human prince she loves. That last part was what convinced Daniel it was true, along with his earlier one plus one comment.

"Holy shit, it's true, isn't it? I don't believe in the supernatural but this just makes more and more sense as I think about it. Seongwoo..."

Daniel gently lifted the boy's head and wiped his tears. He cradled his jaw and looked into his brown eyes, searching for something. The boy's eyes were a different color but the shape and the essence was the same. Those dewy, reddened eyes seemed to be sending him a message just like his cat was able to, 'please don't figure it out, I'm scared you will hate me and leave me after you know...'

"Oh, Seongwoo...so it's true..." Daniel sighed, torn between two strong, conflicting impulses.

Daniel wanted to hold Seongwoo close and yet he also wanted to back away. The idea that the man he loved, had kissed, and been having dirty thoughts about was a supernatural being and his cat was extremely over-whelming. He felt like he didn't know anything about this person and that he couldn't trust him easily after finding out all these lies and intrusive things.

"Tell me the truth. I won't be angry or freak out," he tried to sound convincing.

But he was currently shaking and tense which Seongwoo could surely feel. He attempted to smile but it came out as a grimace. Seongwoo spilled more tears and squeezes his eyes shut like he was terrified or pained looking at him. He eventually confessed in a shaky, reluctant whisper.

"It's true. I'm your cat. I'm a cat shifter. I followed you after we met in the woods. I ran away from my father after he found out I liked humans and refused to mate. I wanted to get to the city. You were kind so I stayed with you. Then I started to really like you and I wanted to meet you. But that time we met in the library wasn't planned. I was studying and I saw you. I wanted to talk to you and get your help. I never imagined you would start to like me too. I'm sorry I made things complicated. I should have just stayed as a cat and refused you when you wanted to meet. I liked you so much I couldn't resist."

Daniel was shocked yet a small, buried part of him touched. He wondered if things would have been different if he had told him upfront. Probably not. The idea of his identity wasn't exactly repulsive. He still found the boy attractive, sweet, and adorable.

Daniel pet his head and kissed his forehead. Well, nothing really felt different there. He was handling all this pretty well. He should be freaking out. Maybe he wasn't because Seongwoo still looked like a normal human, just oddly naked and exceptionally beautiful. He couldn't imagine him turning into cat form.

"Can you show me? I can't believe it unless I see with my own eyes I think," he asked gently, brushing the boy's soft hair like he had hundeds of times if you added the cat.

Seongwoo seemed comforted. His crying had finally ceased. He shook his head, a look of fear in his eyes. Jisung jumped forward to grab his arm again.

"I told you to prove it. If you don't listen to Daniel who has graciously given you a home and sat here listening to you snivel, I will throw you out!" He threatened coldly.

Daniel stood up and carefully yet firmly took Jisung's arms in his hands. "I can handle this now. It's a problem between us. If you throw him out, nothing gets explained or solved. Thank you for your concern, but tone it down a bit. He's obviously feeling anxious and terrified of how we're going to react. You're only making things worse by acting unreasonably like this."

"But Daniel..."

"Please, Jisung. Let me handle this. He's my boyfriend and the only person I've ever loved. Even if it's true, I can't just kick him out. Especially if he's got no clothes or money and nowhere to go."

"He can't stay with us. He's not even a student. I checked, Dan. His name isn't registered in this school. He's free loading off of us!" Jisung accused, getting worked up again.

Daniel remained calm and reasoned with him in a soothing tone. "Well, he has started work as a model and he could help us pay for food and rent. Anyway, that's not important now. We can deal with it later. First, let's see if this whole shifter thing is true. Then, we can listen to his side of the story fully. Lastly, we can judge together what to do about our rooming situation. I can't just kick him out on the street, no matter what he's done. I'm sure there's a sensible reason for stealing and all that. Kicking him out for being different would be heartless."

Jisung hesitated, seeming to struggle with more things he wanted to say. In the end, he frowned and stamped his foot in a tantrum. "Ugh, I hate you for being all reasonable and good hearted. I just caught him pretty much raping you. You're really too nice of a guy for your own good."

Daniel smiled rather sarcastically. I know I really am. But I'm in love no matter what he is or what he's done. He could be a catman villian sent here to kill me by some evil catman lord and I would probably let myself be eaten alive if he explained why it was his only option and gave me those tearful, pleading, sorrow filled eyes he is giving me now.

"Seongwoo, please show me your true self. Like I said I will try not to freak out or get angry. Even if it's all true what you are both telling me, I'm not going to kick you out, hmm?" He spoke gently to the red-faced, sniffling boy kneeling on the floor.

Seongwoo whimpered softly, shaking his head and shivering, fear and unwillingness filling his face. "You're going to hate me. We're going to be over. I won't! I can't change now..."

"I don't know, Seongwoo. I can't say either way yet. We won't know how I feel about this until you show me the truth. I might somehow be okay with all this. It could work out really well for you, having a mate that accepts you for who you are. You may get that happy ending you wanted like in the Little Mermaid we watched, hmm? Shouldn't we at least try?"

Daniel sat next to him, brushing his arm and gazing at the face he loved, trying to memorize it and imagine it as his cat. He really hoped that he wouldn't feel disgusted or scared after seeing Seongwoo transform. He didn't want to hurt him or lose him. He wanted to keep his first boyfriend forever, he wanted them to spend more happy times together and eventually mate. He hated the possibility of hurting or scarring him, but he couldn't go on not knowing. They needed to rip the bandaid right off or it would hurt slowly for much longer. The way he figured it, if they exposed the nasty wound to the air, he would grow used to the look and it would heal before his eyes, becoming something beautiful in its own abnornal way .

"Or you may be so disgusted by the idea that you will never be able to kiss me again..." Seongwoo sniffled, his face incredibly sad and fearful.

"It's not likely to happen, but possible. But we can't progress our relationship anymore built on lies, Seongwoo. If we're going to continue, we need to look this issue in the eye and build up from the beginning to hurdle over it. I don't want anymore secrets. If you don't show me, I'm afraid we're going to have to be through from today. I cannot live with someone I cannot trust. You need to start being fully honestly with me right now. That's the only way we can repair what's getting broken here."

Seongwoo started crying again at the idea of them being 'broken.' Shit, wrong word choice. I didn't mean to threaten him like that. I am being too harsh and insensitive, dammit. I am just overwhelmed and frustrated. I want him to show me even if I'm terrified. Not of him but of my own reaction to what I know to already be true.

Daniel cradled Seongwoo's face in his hands and wiped the fresh tears away with his hand.

"Seongwoo, I need you to be brave now. Stop being scared, please. I won't beat you or scream or call you names. I know what you look like already. Your cat form is not grotesque or monster like. It's beautiful. That's why I always call you pretty boy. I'm not going to hate you or hurt you. It's not possible. I promise. Let's have one last kiss as a couple just in case things change. I want you to remember that I love you even if I might not be able to accept you right away. Let's try to think positively, that we are soulmates so we can get through even this. If I am a bit uncomfortable with the idea, don't be discouraged. Maybe I just need time to grow used to the idea of someday mating with a half cat, hmm? It doesn't mean our relationship cannot continue. It just means give me some more time before you write me off. During the time I'm getting used to you, we maybe won't be able to kiss, so remember this kiss and remember that I do love and care for you no matter what form you are in and even if we are physically different. I love you, Seongwoo, always and forever. We're going to get through this. Have Faith. Be strong. No more tears."

 

 

Seongwoo and Daniel shared a distressed look as Jisung silently watched them with an expression of regret and sympathy. He was feeling sorry now that he exposed any of this just a bit. He still felt like Daniel needed to know but now, seeing how true and intense their feelings were, he thought maybe it should have been something that Seongwoo revealed on his own. Seongwoo certainly had done some morally questioning things, but it certainly seemed like he wasn't a crazy, stalker fan with ill intentions.

With how desolate and heartbroken he looked at the idea of Daniel not being able to love his true self, Jisung was convinced that Sungwoon had been right and he had been wrong. He had slightly misunderstood and let his feelings of protection go out of control doing something rash that hurt them both unnecessarily. He also felt some nurturing part of him pricked by the look and sounds of Seongwoo's hysterics and negative thoughts. He kind of wanted to hug Seongwoo, wipe his face clean and give the naked, scarred, extremely thin, and frail looking boy some warm clothes. He especially wanted to apologize for cruely ousting him.

The cat and then boy he had met had been so loveable and sweet, even seeming interested in getting close to him. He had pretended to be a friend and then waited and searched out the perfect opportunity to rat him out and get him away from Daniel on the pretext it was all some act to molest and harm Daniel. How paranoid he had been, enough to misunderstand, misjudge, and meanly betray a nice...being or whatever he was. He certainly seemed human now which made Jisung feel all the worse.

So what if Seongwoo was different or stole from him or lied and freeloaded? He really didn't seem like such a bad person when you put all the things he had seen and heard from Daniel together. Just a bit wierd and eccentric, with a what was likely going to prove to be a very cool ability. Maybe a part of him acted this mean to him because he was jealous of him being enrapturing with his magical abilities and inhuman beauty that made everyone fall for him before he even said a word. That was partially true and he chided himself for the sheer immaturity of that.

If Seongwoo was allowed to live with them and things turned out okay with Daniel somehow, Jisung promised that he would make it up to Seongwoo and care for him like his own family. Since he was away from his own especially.

 

 

Daniel teared up as they silently gazed at each other for several emotionally intense minutes and Seongwoo brushed it away with his wet, soft fingers, biting his lip harshly not to sob. He was clearly trying to be brave and calm like Daniel had requested. He attempted a smile as they drifted close to each other, looking like two halfs of a whole.

"I love you Daniel, more than anyone in the world. I would give anything to be a regular human so we could be together without complications. I'm sorry I was born like this. I'm sorry you fell for someone unnatural..." Seongwoo choked up and couldn't continue on.

Daniel closed his eyes and then Seongwoo too as their tear wettened lips sweetly pressed together. Daniel pressed his tongue in and they slightly made out, but it was slow and full of desperation and yearning instead of meant to be stimulating. It was a kiss full of pain, regret, apology, tenderness, guilt, longing, fear of being alone, and thinly strong hopes. It was a passionate, slow, deep kiss that seemed to last a lifetime and spoke thousands of words they wanted to say and needed to know before taking the fearful plunge into the unknown that could quite possibly seperate them as a couple forever in the worst case scenario. The best case scenario would still mean a change neither wanted nor was comfortable with because transforming meant confirming everything they had discussed and revealing Daniel was involved with a supernatural being, one that had been tricking, lying, and hiding huge things from, one that he would have difficulties trusting again even if he managed to somehow understand and accept.

Jisung was full on crying with them now, his own heart feeling slightly broken and he felt pity for his best friend to have to go through this.  It looked like the last kiss before an amicable yet regretful, inevitable break up. The scene was heart-wrenching.

Then, Seongwoo dropped the blanket to his knees and asked Daniel to sit down on the bed. They both sat on their beds and watched with anticipation and fiercely beating hearts as Seongwoo closed his eyes, his expression turning to one of intense focus. Before their eyes, his features started to magically change bit by bit over several seconds. His arms and legs shortened and darkened olor. Then, his ears got longer, thinner, and pointier. His eyes, nose, and chin changed shape. His mouth got thinner and turned black. His back bent forward. Within a minute, he had shrunken, sprouted a tail, and his pale skin had turned brown, fuzzy, with black spots. Amidst the blankets where his boyfriend had sat was most certainly in every aspect Daniel's cat.

"Jesus..." Daniel ran a hand across his face and exhaled the breath he had been holding out, falling back more on to the bed.

Jisung's mouth was open as he gripped the strands of his hair sticking out on both sides of his head. "I can't believe it. I was really right? I must be a psychic or detective. A large part of me thought I was going crazy and Seongwoo was going to prove it. Holy shit Dan, we know a supernatural being. What do we do now?"

Daniel was overwhelmed and besides himself, so he couldn't even attempt to answer. He shakily picked up the cat sitting on the floor and observing them warily, feeling he needed to be more tender now he knew he had scars and that he was the love of his life just in another form. Seongwoo sat on his bent arm and put his front paws on his chest. They teared up as they looked at each other. Seongwoo looked at him hopefully, seeming to be searching his eyes for some sign of acceptance. Daniel gently brushed his head and scratched behind his ears, smiling softly when Seongwoo started purring. His eyes welled with tears as he looked at him.

So this was reality. He didn't love a human foreigner. He loved an actual alien foreigner. Someone as different from him as night and day. Someone he couldn't tell anyone the truth about. Someone he would have to keep secret, protect, and take special care of while they were together. Am I capable of doing that? Am I capable of loving Seongwoo in both forms in both ways equally?

Daniel wasn't so certain anymore. He wasn't attracted to Seongwoo's cat form. But he still loved and cared for him in this form a lot.

Would Seongwoo be okay with that? Didn't he deserve more? Shouldn't Seongwoo be with another shifter that could fully understand, accept, and fully love and be attracted to both forms? Wasn't he settling too much? Should I let him go because I know Seongwoo deserves more? Or should I be selfish like I am really tempted to be and stay with Seongwoo even though I haven't accepted his cat form fully and am rather wierded out by this whole idea?

Daniel honestly wasn't sure he would be able to look at the human form of Seongwoo the same way or do the same acts with him. He had a feeling as he made out with him the image of a tail, whiskers, a wet black nose, and fuzzy paws would come into his mind, freak him out, and turn him off which would only hurt Seongwoo intensely. But he couldn't say it was impossible without trying. He might not be bothered by it at all. It might even be a feeling that went away over time.

Without Seongwoo, what was he? Nothing. I am nothing without you. That's why I can't give you up. I have to hold on to you, no matter what. Even if it's not what's best for you. 

Daniel decided to be selfish. He couldn't let the only man he ever loved go without a fight even if the person he was fighting was the judgemental, close minded side of himself. Seongwoo meowed and licked at his tears as they trickled down. It was as if he was asking desperately 'what are you thinking? Daniel, please tell me. You're freaking me out. Don't cry please.' It then appeared that he was about to cry too.

Daniel sniffled and smiled wide. Then, he lifted the cat up and kissed all over his face. He finally spoke after several minutes of gazing in silence and crying.

"You're beautiful Seongwoo. That's a pretty nifty talent. I bet it's come in handy. See? I told you I would be fine. You can stay here and nothing changes with us, alright? I still love you and I want to be your mate, of course. Everything's just fine~"

Seongwoo meowed happily and started purring. Daniel hated to lie to him but that look of sheer bliss as worth it. It was just a tiny white lie. He was going to be okay with all this eventually. He was going to be able to still kiss and fool around with Seongwoo without freaking out. Nothing between them was seriously changed because of this.

...Right...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder, did any of that reveal night happen the way you guys expected/predicted it to? Well, I think it wasn't as bad as it could have been all considering. Sorry if you guys didn't want something dramatic but I feel like this story really needed some drama mixed in with all that fluff and comedy. Daniel took that like a champ though. He was really sweet, caring, gentle, patient, and understanding. He's a saint. I can't imagine being that cool about everything. Poor Seongwoo cried a new river in the middle of Seoul though. I usually don't approve of making Seongwoo into a cry baby but I will let him cry during this scene because I think in this case with this particular story it fits his character. It just shows how attached he is to Daniel, how emotionally fragile he is, and how certain he is that humans will never accept his shifter form and that he will be lose the love of his life forever. Aw, don't you just want to give him a big hug and lots of treatment kisses? It's going to be a little while before we see the smiley, cute, bubbly, bright, positive Ong we all know and grew to love up to here sorry to say. The angst tsunami is over but we've got two more chapters of aftershocks. I hope that you guys didn't cry too much. At least it was a short angsty chapter and not a super long one. Right? ^^
> 
> The next chapter may or may not make you cry as well. But you will see some sweet Jisung X Ong that I think will warm your heart. I did say that eventually Jisung was going to fully warm up to him and be nice. Well, Jisung takes care of him a lot out of intense guilt for misjudging him and making him and Daniel suffer, even more so because their relationship will turn quite awkward and uncomfortable for a bit.
> 
> Let me know what you think~ I'm curious about how you thought Jisung and Daniel handled this situation. Also, I wonder if you think Daniel will have issues being intimate with Ong and how he can get over them. Of course, I already have that worked out but I'm always wondering about your creative ideas.
> 
> See you next weekend~
> 
> <3 Raina


	24. Difficulties Adjusting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel struggles to accept and deal with the idea that Seongwoo is not only a shifter, but his cat who has been hiding his identity, straight out lying, and seen a ton of things that Daniel never wanted Seongwoo to ever see. Still, Daniel is a sweetheart who doesn't want Seongwoo to feel bad so he continues to be the best boyfriend he can be despite the circumstances and how he's feeling weirded out by skinship with a cat-man. Seongwoo struggles to be patient and give Daniel the space and time he needs to adjust properly, all the while anxious and lonely. Jisung acts as a comforting glue between the two to patch up their rocky relationship. Jisung and Seongwoo especially get close and Jisung tries to make it up to him after feeling extremely guilty for outing him the way that he had and misjudging Seongwoo's character.

(Author's note: Wanna One's new song Twilight is perfect for this chapter so I will leave it here for you listen to. I think this song fits this chapter very well because of these lyrics: I'm missing you, I'm missing you, even though you're right by my side. I think you will understand why if you just read on. Please listen to Twilight as you read. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DJ8PLW2VwAAcPkV.jpg)

 

 

I couldn't be any happier!

Or so Seongwoo wished he could say. The truth was he definitely wished he could be happier. There was certainly room for improvement these days.

Since the unfortunate incident where he had stupidly got caught and then Jisung had cruelly spilled the beans about him with such a long trail of evidence he hadn't even thought about that made it impossible to lie his way out, over a week had passed. Things in their outside life went on as normal. Daniel and Jisung went to school and work while Seongwoo cleaned up the place and went to the library to study while they were out.

Jisung had kindly lent him clean clothes as long he promised not to throw them in the bushes anymore. Jisung had been acting kindly and taking care of him all of a sudden, saying that he felt guilty and sorry for making a snap judgement and exposing him like that. He was clearly trying to make it up to him, although Seongwoo insisted he wasn't angry.

The whole mess had been his own fault for leaving a suspicious, obvious trail and Daniel had needed to know anyway. Honestly, Seongwoo wasn't sure if he had ever been going to get the courage to tell Daniel himself. He probably would have simply taken the easy way out by living their whole life as a lie until he had been able to mate enough to become a real human. Because then he wouldn't have to learn the fear of losing Daniel or the pain of Daniel feeling wierd, uncomfortable, and treating him differently after knowing he was part animal.

That's what was happening currently. Wheras Jisung was being more touchy feely and attentive, blowdrying his hair, hugging or patting him in his human form often, giving him lots of food to try from his work, taking care of his skin and brushing his teeth for him, Daniel, on the contrary, was keeping his distance and always seemed to be spacing out whenever they were at home. Seongwoo would sit next to him and they studied together. Daniel would pet his hand or hair absentmindedly as he just stared at his homework without doing it. Seongwoo had to call his name several times to get his attention.

On top of that, Daniel barely made any physical contact or spent much time alone with him. They did some modeling jobs but afterwards or between days there were no more dates. Then, he had taken up his old job teaching dance, so he was coming home later on days they didn't have a job.

Seongwoo felt like he saw Daniel much less and they barely ever spoke these days. The night he got revealed, they had talked a lot along with Jisung. Mainly, he answered all their questions about what had happened since he ran away and started living with them. He told them everything honestly. Luckily, they seemed to understand that he wasn't a bad guy, but more so that he had had to do bad things he was sorry for considering his special situation.

Daniel never once seemed mad. But throughout the night, he seemed to get more and more flustered and horrified as he thought about private things he had told only the cat about his crush Seongwoo, things Seongwoo was never meant to see or hear. Seongwoo admitted the various things he knew, making Daniel blush and hide his face in the pillows in utter embarassment. Jisung had found the whole event amusing, saying it was almost like witnessing a hidden camera moment.

Seongwoo didn't really see what the big deal was. He liked knowing about Daniel and about Daniel knowing everything about him. He liked the idea of having no secrets and learning everything about each other. Apparently, Daniel had many things he was embarassed about and didn't want him to know.

Seongwoo wasn't sure since that was over a week ago, but it could be the reason Daniel was often lost in thought and rarely talked to or paid him attention anymore. What worried Seongwoo and made him unhappy though was the lack of physical affection. Besides an occasional hand hold and some head pats, Daniel had barely initiated touching him. Seongwoo tried to hug and kiss him on several occasions, but Daniel shied away before he could make contact or separated himself quickly with some excuse like it was hot, tired, or sore from dancing.

 

 

"Daniel, Daniel, hey Daniel~ Hello~" Seongwoo called, tapping on the blond boy's broad shoulder as they studied.

Daniel was staring blankly at his worksheet, tapping the point of his pencil on the paper for the hundredth time seeing the series of gray dots in the corner area. He didn't acknowledge him or budge an inch.

"Da~niel~!" Seongwoo batted at the paper impatiently, making a loud slapping noise he couldn't so easily ignore.

"Hmm? What is it?" He turned and asked like he just heard him calling.

Seongwoo sighed and pouted, giving him a frustrated look. Daniel showed concern then. It dawned on him that he had probably been spacing out and ignoring someone yet again.

"Sorry about that. I heard you. Just thinking about...school stuff."

He gave an obviously nervous laugh and a fake smile which proved he was lying and it certainly hadn't been the first time. Since the night when Seongwoo had turned into a cat and Daniel had held him in his arms and cried without any explanation, Seongwoo had been worried about what he was thinking or worrying over that he kept to himself. His eyes at that time had been concerning--full of doubt, guilt, concern, sadness and anxiousness, if it was possible to feel all those emotions in a scan of a few minutes. Seongwoo didn't think that look at that time bode well for them, especially after how strange Daniel had been acting. It was clear he wasn't fully comfortably with the idea of his other side and Seongwoo feared he never would be.

That's why Seongwoo had promised not to change into his cat form unless there was some necessity and only at Daniel's request. He wanted Daniel to forget about anything he saw and heard and just go back to thinking of him as a human from a strange land.

"Kiss me," Seongwoo pleaded with teary eyes, leaning forward. "I'm the same as the person you kissed all those times before. It won't feel different. Just try..."

"Huh? Ah, no thanks. I haven't brushed my teeth yet you see..." he gave a lame excuse.

Seongwoo followed Daniel as he leaned back at his approach. Seongwoo grabbed his chin and forced his lips on Daniel's before he bent back out of reach. He gave a light peck and pulled back slightly to see his reaction.

It sounded like he was trying to convince both of them when he spoke. "That was okay, right? It's the same as always, see."

"Well..." Dank licked his lip and frowned, his eyes looking everywhere but at his in an attempt to avoid him. The kiss had been bland since he had closed his lips tight and not responded.  "It is different honestly. That's what I was afraid of. It's kind of wierd..."

It is wierd, he said.

That was Seongwoo's other worst nightmare come to life partially. He bit his lip, feeling tears sting his eyes. He released Daniel and curled up into the fetal position. He sighed deeply and put his head on his knees, glaring at Jisung's neatly made bed with some animal dolls piled against the wall in the bottom corner through blurry vision. His eyes were swimming with tears he fiercely fought back.

He had promised himself that he wouldn't cry since that night no matter what happened. Daniel was trying his best to accept him fully. He hadn't been kicked out or treated unkindly. Daniel even said that they could still be mates and try to make things work out, though obviously his initial comment about things being okay between them and nothing changing had been a lie.

It was more than he could have ever asked for, yet some part of him still was desperately wishing for more. They loved each other so much, right? He expected love to triumph all. For things to go back to normal, for things not to change much. It had been awhile yet it didn't seem to be getting any better between them. Daniel wouldn't even try kissing him innocently.

His heat waves still came every couple of days, making him sick. He wanted to explain his desperate need to be physical with Daniel, to relieve the symptoms and how if they just mated, then Daniel wouldn't have to see him in a worse state later. However, he felt like it was tricking an unwilling person. Daniel thought it was wierd to touch him, so how could he expect that to happen any time soon or if ever?

"You picture me as a cat whenever we get close to kissing or touch, right?" he whispered.

Daniel flashed a guilty, apologetic look at Seongwoo's choked, hurt, and biting tone. He wrapped his arm around the shifter's shoulders and brushed his arm comfortingly. To his surprise, Daniel then caressed his cheek and gently pecked his forehead a minute later.

"It's going to be fine. I'm going to get used to it eventually. Stay in your human form for now and give me some more time," Daniel pleaded softly, his voice full of sincerity.

Seongwoo humphed in childlike irritation. Daniel laughed and softly pinched his pouty lips. Seongwoo looked at him in surprise at where he was touching right now. He hadn't touched there once all week with any part of his body. It was like that part of him was contaminated or something. Seongwoo felt so touched and delighted by even that little bit of physycal intimacy, he started tearing up again. He had been feeling so starved for that. 

"I'm not ready for there yet. Let me kiss other places first. I'm at a psychological war with myself kind of. I know you won't get that but it's complicated to explain. I think I need to show myself you're not all fuzzy."

Seongwoo could almost laugh if the circumstances were any different. At this rate, he was starting to panic that they may not be able to get over this huge wall that had appeared between them, blocking them from having a normal relationship. Right now, they were going through the acts in a mere simulation of one. Without being physically intimate and attracted to each other, no one could say that was a real relationship, at least not one that actually had any kind of future.

Seongwoo held his breath and closed his eyes as Daniel grabbed his head in his hands and turned him the other way. He sighed in bliss and happy, relieved tears slipped out as soft lips rained across his entire face randomly. It was like being brushed with silk cloth while bathing in the warm sunshine. He felt his body heat all over, shivering in pleasure.

That was all it took to bring on the horny symptoms since he had been going much longer than he had grown accustomed without anything from Daniel. It was unfortunate when they had seemed so close to mating the night everything had fallen apart in their relationship. Daniel had been passionate and unhinged and they both had been naked. He didn't dare try anything when Daniel was sleeping, in fact he didn't even sleep with him now. 

Seongwoo had started sleeping on the floor and when he got lonely and sad, he went to Jisung's bed. The boy would wrap him up in a cozy blanket and hold him while rocking and singing softly like he imagined a human mother would from what he had seem on TV but which shifters never had done.

Of course, he wanted to go to Daniel instead, that was the person he really needed to be coddled by. However, he was terrified that Daniel would reject him. If he sincerely approached him, letting him know how lonely and saddened he was by their distance, and still Daniel couldn't properly hold him, then that meant for sure they were doomed and it would be only a matter of time before Daniel asked him to leave and never talk to him again.

That was his recurring nightmare that kept him up and made him softly weep at night. Luckily, Daniel slept like the dead so only Jisung knew about that. Jisung was great at getting Seongwoo to stop. He would apologize repeatedly for his part in this and then give him encouraging words about how things were going to be alright because he knew Daniel truly loved him and he was going to get better soon and be back to normal.

Jisung even bet that they would be closer than ever, because apparently trauma and fights always made couples closer after they succeeded in getting through it together. It honestly sounded like a fairytale that Walt Disney guy would make up to trick humans with weak hearts and make millions of money with to him, but at least it was a comforting thought which was rare to come across anymore.

"That was nice," Seongwoo hummed and leaned on Daniel's shoulder after he stopped kissing his face several minutes later, commenting any more would make him unbearably thirsty.

"It really was. I think that helped me. Sorry, I can't kiss your mouth yet, Seongwoo. Just be a little more patient, please. You can wait for me, right?" Daniel took his hand and squeezed, his eyes remaining close with a soft, relaxed smile.

For once, Daniel wasn't frowning or looking stressed and worried, thank goodness. Seongwoo squeezed back and nodded firmly to resign himself more since Daniel couldn't actually see that. He was going to be strong and positive and wait for Daniel. He was going to believe that love would eventually triumph over their evil obstacles as Jisung did. Somehow he had to.

He responded sweet and surely, "Of course, I will. Because you're my mate and I love you. It can't be someone else."

"Same here, I think. I can't imagine someone even beginning to replace you. You have really rocked my world upside down, in both good and strange ways."

Seongwoo's heart wavered at the adoration and positivity he heard. Finally, some concrete sign that gave him real hope for the future instead of just empty encouragment and promises.

 

 

"Seongwoo-ya~ Come here!" Jisung called brightly as soon as he came home from work.

Daniel was already asleep for the night. Seongwoo was part cat so he was rather nocturnal. He tended to sleep much later and less than Daniel did.

He bounded to Jisung from where he had been reading a novel at the foot of his bed. He was glad to be seperated from it because it was a thriller he was trying out for the first time. It was a scary book that gave him the creeps and almost tempted him to snuggle with Daniel a few minutes ago. Jisung had arrived just in time.

He hugged the tall man tightly and hunched down a bit so that he could put his head into his chest. Sleeping or hugging this way always comforted him. The citrusy smell of Jisung reminded him of his childhood days wandering around the town as there had been a lot of grocery stores that smelled like that. He didn't have many happy childhood memories but that was one of them.

"Hi, umma~" Jisung had asked him to call him that.

Jisung chuckled as he squeezed him back. "Hi to you too~ You seem happy today. Something happened with Daniel finally, didn't it?"

Seongwoo giggled and nodded enthusiastically.

He squealed in a hushed tone, then cheerfully suggested, "Let's go get ready for bed. You can tell me all about it in private."

Jisung grabbed two pairs of pajamas and two towels, then led him with linked arms to the bathroom. Seongwoo stripped and put his clothes outside the bathroom.

"Do you want to bathe tonight in your cat form or like this?"

"I prefer like this. My fur feels and looks so gross when it's wet and it's a pain to dry. "

"Ah, that does make sense. So, that's why cats hate water."

"I don't know about all. I think it's because our ancestors didn't know how to swim so it became ingrained in our DNA code."

"Wow, you've been studying a lot. You sound like a Korean scholar." Jisung pat his hair affectionately with a look of pride, making him smile.

He was starting to love it when people did that, although Daniel always felt the warmest, kindest, and most loving. Jisung and him brushed their teeth, then showered together. Jisung liked to rub shampoo in his hair and scrub his back clean. He said that he did it often for his family members so it comforted him and kept him from being home sick.

"So, what happened?" Jisung pressed as he kept his hands busy.

Seongwoo started by bursting out the good news because he couldn't keep it in any longer. "Daniel is getting better, I think. He kind of kissed me. Around my face."

"He did? That's great. See, I told you it would happen eventually. Look at this face~ You're too cute for him to resist for much longer."

Jisung pinched his cheeks with his wet sudsy hands, getting white bubbles on him. Seongwoo giggled and took some suds from his shoulder and carefully smeared it on the other's nose and lips so he had a foamy mustache. Jisung complained at his mischief, wiping it away with the back of his hand.

"That means he's getting used to the idea, Seongwoo. Just wait a bit longer," Jisung assured the shifter as he rinsed his hair, being careful not to let the suds get into his eyes like the last time.

Seongwoo sighed, slightly pouting. "I know, I know. I think I'm not very good at being pashion..."

Jisung chuckled. "Patient, you mean. Daniel isn't so much either. Trust me on that~ He's become a lot more patient after meeting you. It's yet another thing you guys have in common."

"Is it possible for us to match like you always say when we are different species?" Seongwoo wondered out loud.

He was worried they were too different and that was something Daniel was anxious about.

"Sure, it's possible. You're not fully an animal. You're an advanced human species, that's all. We speak the same language, like similar things, you can read, you have your own personality and past, we're all sociable. Humans are technically animals too. If dogs and cats can mate, I don't see why other species can't."

That seemed reasonably logical. It comforted him as did almost everything Jisung said these days to encourage and advise him. He was a great teacher and therapist on top of being the mother he never really had(and would never get a chance to know since she was gone forever thanks to his evil father).

 

 

After they showered, Jisung helped Seongwoo towel dry his body and then blew his hair dry. Seongwoo always laughed and squirmed because the hot air felt ticklish. It made Jisung smile wide and chuckle with amusement every time as it did now.

Jisung next applied various creams to his face, always putting tiny dots all over that reminded him of the pattern of his fur coat before rubbing them gently with his fingers. Now Seongwoo knew what they were for and he liked the way they smelled and made his skin feel moist and silky, but he didn't like their taste.

"Seongwoo-ya, stop licking it! It's not going to taste any different than the last time. Besides I don't think these kind of chemicals will do any sort of good to your stomach. What if you throw up?" Jisung softly scolded, batting him on the nose with a finger like he did often when he was a cat getting into something that he shouldn't or trying to take a swipe of his meal.

Funnily enough, despite remaining consistently in his human form, Jisung treated Seongwoo like half child half cat since the reveal. He even scratched behind his ears, called to him by whistling or clicking his tongue, and sometimes he even put his plate of food on the floor absently. The guy who had been his enemy so to say was now his ally and the person to accept him quickly, wheras the person he had hoped to be his quickest, closest ally was a bit more like an awkward, distant friend he had become estranged from.

After the night time grooming session was over, Jisung set out a blanket and pillow on the floor. "Get in bed honey."

"Can I...sleep with you?" Seongwoo pleaded with a pout and what he learned were called his 'sad kitty eyes' that humans found hard to resist because it amped his natural cute level up immensely.

"Sure, sure. But tell me why first. Are you feeling sick again?" Jisung asked with concern, feeling his forehead for a fever.

Seongwoo silently shook his head, looking down and embarassed to talk about the negative thoughts that had been filling his mind today after Daniel had refused to kiss him.

"Lonely?" Jisung asked with pity in his tone.

He nodded.

"Worried? Daniel said something stupid, didn't he?" He guessed, clicking his tongue in irritation.

Seongwoo hesitated. Then, he slightly nodded and bit his lip, stupider tears stinging the back of his eyes.

Don't cry, don't cry, it's not something to cry about yet. It's not like he called you disgusting and he still kissed you, didn't he? Get a grip, be strong and think positively, Ong Seongwoo. You promised yourself and, more importantly, you promised him.

Jisung laid on the bed and patted the empty side he left open for him, his arms spread open in welcome. Seongwoo hopped on the bed and eagerly dived into his arms, careful to hold his weight enough he wouldn't squish the thin, dainty man with his bigger, heavier frame.

Jisung embraced him and scratched behind his ears and the back of his head gently. Seongwoo sniffled against the neck of his blue and white cotton striped shirt that matched his identical gray and white striped one. After several minutes and some quietly shed droplets, he finally confessed what was bothering him.

"I forced Daniel to kiss me today and he told me he can't do it yet because it's wierd. He can't get the image of me being a cat out of his mind...." he whispered in a choked tone.

Jisung hugged him tighter, cooing in sympathetic comfort.

"Oh honey... You poor thing. Even if he felt that way, he should have worded it better. That insensitive, clueless idiot. He doesn't even know how hurt and scared and lonely you are because of his little crisis. I'm sorry he's being selfish. I will do whatever I can to snap him out of this funk quicker. I was trying to leave him alone and let him sort it out on his own time. But a week's enough. I don't even love love you the same way, yet I've already come to terms with it. He needs to get his ass in gear and come around. I'm going to give him a good hard kick for you. I can't stand to see you this miserable anymore. You don't deserve it after all you have lived through and it makes me feel that much guiltier."

Seongwoo shook his head and squeezed the older guy in comfort. "It's okay. Leave him alone. If you force it, there's no meaning, right? We have to get through it together. If he doesn't even get through it, then that just means we're not meant to be mates. Sad but true. I will have to move on, take the good memories and all the lessons I've learned from him, and find my own life in the human world."

Jisung made a whine of complaint and squeezed him tight enough to temporarily cease his breathing. "I don't want you to go though. I'm attached to you now." 

Seongwoo was flattered by that. He closed his eyes and nuzzled into the other's warm, rather bony chest that wasn't nearly as comfortable as Daniel's pillowy, broad, firm one but would suffice he knew to make him feel better. He felt flattered honestly. He had become quite fond of Jisung as well and it would be difficult to cut his new friend out of his life and go back to living on his own.

What ever needs to be done for Daniel to be happy and comfortable again though, I will do it with no complaints. Since he means more than the world to me...Please get over this soon, my mate, so we can be together again properly...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short yet bittersweet chapter I know. There's a lot going on in the next chapter so this is just kind of a transition. They basically make up and the angst is over about two weeks roughly from the night things get revealed. Daniel is, as you may have guessed he was very worried about on that night, struggling with being able to be intimate with a shifter. Unfortunately, I had to be realistic about this. Daniel may still love him of course but as humans I don't think we would ever readily accept this sort of situation. His thoughts are quite complicated but I think you will be able to understand and feel less frustrated with him in the next chapter with his point of view for why he's acting this way.
> 
> Poor Seongwoo, he's going through so much~ But he's really trying his best to be positive, caring, understanding, and strong which makes him even more of angle. I really love this character so much. Jisung gets the award for the sweetheart of the year though. Out of guilt, he starts taking care of Seongwoo while Daniel is pushing him away and over time he comes to love Seongwoo like an adoptive son. I told you guys that eventually Jisung would warm up to Seongwoo. Well, it happens from this chapter on. Last chapter he kind of hinted that he would make it up to Seongwoo if Daniel didn't kick him out and he's doing an excellent job. Seongwoo would be in shatters if he didn't have Jisung. I love their dynamic like this. They feel like real family and I think that a caring Jisung is my favorite Jisung.
> 
> Sorry if this made you cry a little bit but mostly I wanted you to see Jisung X Seongwoo's improved relationship and get a small hint of what Ongniel are going through in the two week hiatus of their relationship before the next complex, slightly angsty make-up chapter. I'm curious what you all thought about this chapter, as always. I hope you're hanging in there through the angst~ Been an angsty two weeks with even there being Ongniel angst in the Beautiful mv come on T.T Sorry, I didn't know about that, I wrote these chapters weeks ago, it's quite awful timing haha. 
> 
> There's a ton happening in the next chapter and emotions are kind of all over the place. Good news, it's the very last part of this first angsty arc. Daniel X Seongwoo find a solution to their problem with the help of his shifter buds. The shifter buds return which is always fun to read about right? Especially with Daniel X Guanlin fighting and Guanlin flirting with Seongwoo and Jihoon X Guanlin being naughty and Jihoon X Seongwoo being all super cuddly touchy best buds and all that jazz. Woojin will finally make his appearance~ It won't be the last of him I promise but here he just has a cameo for now, an important one. He will be very important in the plot of this story but that will all start a bit later when we're getting closer to the second angst arc.
> 
> See you in a week or so with a much longer update that will make you actually smile, eventually! Comments and kudos juseyong~ I always comment back~ follow me on twitter too if you want to chat or fangirl about ongniel with me @heartykeykeke1


	25. Meeting Halfway(1+1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More modeling, daily life Ongniel moments plus the make-up and end to the first arc of angst! Expect lots of fluff and emotions and 'awww' moments. Also, there are appearances of Woojin and Panwink.

Seongwoo realized since he started a few weeks ago that he really loved modeling. He liked getting into a character on set and acting the way the director wanted in front of the camera. It was like he was telling a story using only his body.

Currently he was a rich man but he was sad because he had thought incorrectly that money could buy him happiness. He had gained every physical thing he wanted, but in doing so, he had lost his friends and lover and he was lonely. Yet he was a proud, stubborn person who would never admit that. He hid his loneliness behind an arrogant cold demeaner, refusing to allow anyone close to see his embarassing, pathetic true self behind the fancy designer clothes, expensive sports cars, and the mansion he lived in with all the priceless antiques gifted to him from business clients he had worked with all over the world. The character he could imagine in detail from one of the stories he'd been reading.

When he was finished and the camera man and director told him they 'had a wrap,' he was surprised by the sound of clapping. Although Daniel and Jihoon were usually present on his shoots, they for the most part stayed quiet and professional, complimenting him on a good job later in private.

A tall man strided out with cool confidence, smirking in a kind, carefree, slightly flirtatious manner. The lights hit him in just the perfect way, making his make-up covered face stand out even more. He was incredibly handsome and mysteriously chic looking, his long, wavy, raven hair slicked back stylishly off his forehead and his graceful, lanky, pale, thin frame covered in black designers. Unmistakably, Seongwoo knew who had come to see him and he felt a welcoming fondness for his shifter friend with his sunset aura and unique, charming personality.

"That was awesome, Seongwoo hyung! You were really handsome."

"Guanlin, hello! Long time no see!" Seongwoo greeted him brightly.

The taller, thin man hugged him tight. Then, he kept his arm casually slung over his shoulders and brought his face close.

"I was just watching you work your ass off out there, Ong. You know, you are way too hot, I've got to say, as your friend. You shouldn't be with a human. I could show you a way better time," Guanlin whispered seductively, brushing Seongwoo's heated cheek with his cool, slender, silky fingers.

"Stop playing around or you will make Jihoon upset," Seongwoo giggled as he scolded the other, lightly pushing him off.

"No, listen.. I was thinking I would help you get close. Your boyfriend is really possessive, right? He will absolutely hate it if I cling to you and whisper like this. Then, once he's jealous, he will want to take you right then, no matter if you're on set. Then you can finally mate. I'm helping you out here. It was Jihoon's plan, by the way. Why do you think he hasn't come to smack me yet? He's pretty protective of you."

"Ah I see," Seongwoo whispered and let the guy hang on him again. It sounded like a great idea if it would make Daniel more willing to mate.

He acted shy and laughed like Guanlin was saying the funniest thing. They hugged and chatted with their faces suggestively just a few inches away. Guanlin was excellent at acting interested and flirty. It looked like they were going to kiss any second to others.

Jihoon came over with a frustrated sound, throwing up his hands in a somehow cute angry gesture. "That's enough. I give up. That doesn't even work. Daniel is still in that same funk. Time to tell me what happened between you two. No more dodging it. He hasn't even moved over here since Guanlin started, he's just angrily tearing up a piece of paper and muttering to himself. Something is really off with him. Tell me already!"

Seongwoo sighed deeply, looking sadly down at the floor. Guanlin's touch went from intimate to comforting and gentle. They both looked at him with interest and worry. He had been avoiding explaining their strange behavior these days.

"He found out about me. I showed him my transformation and told him the whole truth since I met him. His roommate found me out, so I had no choice but to just be honest and hope for the best. I was hoping to keep it from him forever since I decided I wanted to become fully human...Daniel hasn't exactly taken it so well, that's why things are wierd between us."

They both were speechless, touching him with extra care, and looking at him with concerned, sympathetic expressions. It seemed like they wanted to ask a ton more but were holding back for his sake. He wanted to talk about it and get some advice but he wasn't sure if he could do it without crying.

"I will tell you guys everything, but not here. Not where he can see me. I promised him I wouldn't cry anymore..." He whispered weakly, his throat closing slightly with withheld tears rising up.

Jihoon called someone on his phone while taking Seongwoo's hand in his and squeezing reassuringly. "It's an emergency meeting. Seongwoo needs us. I want you to call Woojin too. Let's meet at the bubble tea stop in ten minutes."

Then, he turned to Seongwoo and smiled warmly, "I'm going to send Daniel away for a bit. We will bring you home."

Seongwoo nodded solemnly. They walked over to where the resting area was. Daniel looked up, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes when he noticed Guanlin's hand resting on Seongwoo's shoulder. The chick shifter smirked cockily, looking like he was challenging Daniel to do something about it. To Seongwoo's dismay, he didn't do anything or even comment about it.

Is Daniel not feeling possessive of me anymore? We're still together but maybe he doesn't love me enough to get jealous and steal me away from other guys. Or maybe he thinks something is going on with me and Guanlin and he doesn't think he deserves to get in the way.

Daniel was uncomfortable and irritated by it of course, but a part of him thought he shouldn't interfere. Seongwoo looked good with Guanlin and they were both shifters living in the human world comfortable with their human bodies. Maybe Seongwoo would be better off with his own kind and Guanlin seemed to like him enough. If it wasn't Guanlin, there were bound to be lots of other shifters hidden in the world they could introduce Seongwoo to. In the end, he would be happier. He wouldn't be with someone who made him cry and couldn't mate.

Daniel didn't really have a right to be angry and possessive right now he felt. Not when he wasn't doing his job as a boyfriend properly. He felt rather ashamed of himself, in fact. He wanted to be okay with Seongwoo but the idea of kissing on the mouth was still wierd for him. He wasn't sure how much time he would need and he hated to make Seongwoo wait long.

"We need to talk with Seongwoo about some shifter stuff. Can we borrow him for awhile? I will bring him back to your place before it's dark."

"Uh.." his eyes flashed to Guanlin's hand touching Seongwoo and the way the other smirked.

He didn't trust Guanlin and it made him angry the sight of them being intimate. Even if he had thought the shifters looked good together, he still wasn't fully able to stomach it. Seongwoo still felt like his. They were still technically together, so he was. Seongwoo liked him not Guanlin anyway. For now. But if they start hanging out, will something change? Will some shifter male whisk him away? It scares me, even though I know it's better for Seongwoo...

He spoke softly, looking only at his boyfriend, the gorgeous cat shifter. "Sure..but don't be too late Seongwoo. It's dangerous at night. You have to come back with Jihoon before it's dark."

'Not Guanlin,' he hinted, then glaring at the tall man.

"Aw, you're giving him a curfew? Afraid he's going to have so much fun he won't want to go back then to his poppy. That's pretty insecure and unattractive," Guanlin teased with a playful, arrogant grin.

"We're going to have a great time right, Seongwoo? Shifters all know how to have fun." He winked, making Daniel hate him more which he hadn't thought was even possible.

Daniel packed up his things and put his bag on. Before he left, he gestured Seongwoo away from the crowd. Seongwoo brightened instantly at the attention and time alone. He hoped that Daniel would say or do something sweet like he used to whenever they had to split up. He missed the way they used to be back when things were simple and Daniel thought he was a human.

"Be careful with them. I know you trust them because of your sixth sense or whatever. But they are still total strangers. I am sure even in your...world, that there are good shifters and bad shifters. If they act like they're going to take you away or force you to do something you don't want, especially if Guanlin touches you in a way you don't like, then you use this."

Daniel passed him his phone, squeezing his hand around it. Daniel's warm, large hand lingered around his for a long moment like he was reluctant to let him go and hesitating about doing more. Seongwoo's stomach flipped in a pleasant, nervous way at the slight touch.

"If you press the first button, it will go to Jisung's phone. I will be at home as well so he will pass it right to me. I will grow wings and fly over here as quick as I can if you need me."

Seongwoo smiled wide, feeling touched at his words and serious, sincere tone. He was about to say there weren't any bad shifters, but then he recalled his father and his father's human hating friends. He didn't say anything in denial. It was possible there were bad shifters around but he didn't think this group contained any. They had been nothing but helpful and kind thus far. Daniel was being sensitive and protective as usual especially since he didn't like Guanlin. Maybe he had really been affected by the act, though not in the exact intense way they intended.

"Thanks. I will call if anything weird happens, I promise. Don't worry so much though. You have a project to do tomorrow, right?"  He replied brightly.

Seongwoo knew that him, Jaehwan, and Minhyun were working on a big project for their gaming software class and that it hadn't been going well because Daniel had been too spaced out to get his part done. They were all gathering last minute to help him with it since it was impossible for him to do it alone in one day.

Seongwoo felt terrible for interfering with his life like this, since he was the reason Daniel couldn't concentrate or recall important things, but there wasn't much he could do. He really wished for the millionth time he had been human or met Daniel in a normal way or been better at hiding his trail from Jisung. He regretted his actions every day that they were abnormal and Daniel acted strange. As he started thinking negatively again, he started tearing up.

"Seongwoo, don't.... It's so much harder for me when you cry. You promised you wouldn't..." Daniel muttered, his face frowning immediately and his eyes taking on a heavy sadness. 

He reached up and held the boy's cheeks, brushing his tears away. He certainly was beautiful when he had dewy eyes, a pouty mouth, and sniffled, but it tore at Daniel's heart to actually see how torn up he was making him. The issue between them was all caused by him having difficulties being intimate with Seongwoo. Like he had feared, whenever Seongwoo and him tried to kiss, he imagined a cat and rather felt extremely wierded out.

He felt frustrated at himself and sorry for Seongwoo, who must have been hurt by his subtle rejections and how he had been distancing himself. All he needed was to just do it once successfully, then they could go back to being happy and fully comfortable with each other. Yet he hadn't yet made himself do it and he just kept pleading for Seongwoo to patiently wait a bit more for him to get used to the idea. He was the most selfish person in the world.

"I know I'm trying. I just have to wait and keep faith, right?" He sniffled and forced a smile, pressing subtly into the other's hand.

"Exactly. Just wait a bit more and keep staying positive like me..." Daniel lied with a wide, fake smile, his thumbs caressing his supple, pearly skin.

They made an effort to say goodbye and Daniel reminded him about how and when to call. Then, Seongwoo tried to make the atmosphere brighter as he often did by teasing him and making jokes, this time not to fall asleep or attempt any murder plans on Jaehwan since Minhyun would clearly be devastated. He smiled proudly when he succeeded in getting Daniel to laugh, which was pretty rare these days, especially as the weeks went on without any progress with their intimacy issues.

At the last minute, Daniel suddenly hugged him in a crushing embrace. Seongwoo gasped and then snuggled into his neck, hugging him back tightly. He inhaled deep, smiling happily. Daniel's familiar scent and the warm affectionate touch. It had been too long since he'd felt this properly.

"Sorry..." Daniel whispered, stroking down his spine in a sweet caress, treating him with care like he was glass on the verge of breaking which made him feel weaker and closer to crying.

He sniffled as a few tears escaped despite willing them away with all his might. If he didn't remain strong, then Daniel would feel more pressure and stress which wouldn't help his adjustment it at all. It probably would lead him to give up with some misguided idea that Seongwoo deserved better and would be happier without him. But if he didn't have Daniel in his life he felt like he would just die honestly. Life wasn't worth living if he had to stay on as a shifter and lose his perfect mate. Without Daniel, he felt like he had nothing, he was nothing.

He wanted to quickly make up and mate often until he was able to be human. He was tempted to just tell him anyway even if he had promised himself he wouldn't trick Daniel into being intimate. It was the only option left to them if Daniel didn't get over his apprehensions soon.

"Don't be sorry. It's natural for you to react that way," he reassured the other kindly.

Daniel squeezed him tighter and let out a heavy, sad sounding sigh. "Why are you so nice? You should be angry and hitting me in frustration by now. You should have left me and gone for a guy that could make you happier by now."

"Daniel, it's been about two weeks. I think I can give you at least a month," Seongwoo laughed but the sound lacked its usual carefree brightness because in reality two weeks had felt like much longer and he dreaded the idea of bearing this pain and awkwardness between them much longer.

"A month...okay. I think I can do that. I will try to fix this somehow. I love you, just so you know. That hasn't ever changed." They squeezed each other tighter, both of them fighting back tears now.

"I love you more..." the shifter murmured softly.

"That's probably true but I wish it wasn't. I will repay your unconditional love and faith back soon. You have a good time with your friends. Talk out everything you're feeling that you don't feel able to share with me, hmm? But really don't be too long. I miss you and I'm going to be worrying about you."

As he said this, Daniel held his face in his warm, large palms, brushing away the leftover streams of wetness from his hallowed cheeks. Seongwoo was thinner as the depression caused by this incident had made him lose his appetite. He felt racked with guilt and shame again by the evidence of how much Seongwoo was suffering despite trying his best to always hide behind a positive, caring, carefree mask. 

Seongwoo touched the smiling, handsome boy's face and looked deep into his sparkling, dewy, brown eyes. His poor owner hadn't been eating or sleeping well, so his face was paler, thinner, and shadowed under the eyes. He was still the most handsome human Seongwoo had ever seen and when their eyes met he couldn't help smiling and his stomach fluttered and swirled with nervous excitement and delight.

"I miss you already."

Daniel chuckled and turned his head to lightly kiss his wrist, giving him a look that read 'I'm so sorry that this is all I can give you now. Someday soon I hope I can give you what we want.' Daniel read the message in Seongwoo's eyes confidently reassuring and comforting him that 'we're going to get through this. We will figure something out. Don't pressure yourself so much. I'm doing alright. I'm staying strong like I promised.'

They smiled and sighed, still touching each other's hands, extremely reluctant to let go. Eventually, Jihoon called to him that they should get going since the others were waiting for them. They let their fingers slip apart, saying a sweet goodbye and promising to see each other soon. 

 

 

While they were eating icecream together, Seongwoo told the four shifters and the ex shifter that joined his entire long story from the last couple of weeks and all his and Daniel's current issues.

"Well, first of all, Daniel's reaction is surprisingly good. I know it's not exactly desirable but most humans would have thrown you out at least. They don't usually do well from what I've heard with in dealing with supernatural things."

"Yes, I agree. That Daniel let you live with him still and is trying to stay with you somehow despite his fears and uncomfortableness shows he really loves you," Daehwi added to Jinyoung's idea. They both put in effort to sound positive and bright.

"I agree. Daniel seems like a great guy who really cares about you. It takes humans time to change so all you can do is be patient, which you are doing wonderfully at by the way. You poor thing," Jihoon commented, squeezing Seongwoo tight.

He and Daehwi had been next to him through the whole speal, hugging him tight and passing him tissues while he cried at the more horrific to recall painful parts of his story. He blew his nose as Jihoon brushed the corner of his wet eyes.

Guanlin, the second most quiet guy in the bunch, spoke up for the first time. "I'm not fond of the guy because I still say he's a serious, quiet bore you could do better than, but I even admit that it sounds positive. You shouldn't worry so much. He obviously loves you a ton. I certainly wouldn't do that if I were in his shoes. If Jihoon had any major faults, I would leave him in a heartbeat."

"Oh, thanks for your kind comment, honey. That will really get you love points tonight," Jihoon glared at his mate and kicked him under the table.

Guanlin winked at him and blew him a greasy kiss that somehow looked sexy and cool. "Good thing you are absolutely perfect and flawless, babe."

Jihoon blushed deeply and shyly smiled, still trying to stay mad at him for principle. He didn't want anyone to know that he forgave Guanlin so easily when he was being a shallow, insensitive jerk. He couldn't help it because Guanlin was charming, sexy, and every once and a while incredibly sweet and sincere that it blew all the bad feelings right out.

"I had a feeling there was an issue like this. That's why I brought Woojin."

Jihoon motioned for Park Woojin to introduce himself. He turned out to be a cool, silent type, but he was awkward and often stuttered when he spoke. Woojin was supposedly the person who taught Guanlin and Jihoon how to voluntarily transform part of their bodies. He was supposedly good at explaining how.

"Okay that would definitely have been useful when I had to open doors and such. But what good will it do me now?" Seongwoo asked.

Jihoon replied vaguely, "I think that it may help Daniel to adjust."

Jinyoung clapped his hands going 'ah!' like he just got it. Jihoon looked at him. They both smiled and nodded, having their own silent dialogue. The others looked between them curiously for an explanation of what this big plan was.

"You know about kinks at all, Seongwoo?" Jihoon asked.

Seongwoo shook his head.

"Humans sometimes have these things they are into when mating that are rather odd. Those are called kinks."

Jinyoung continued on after Jihoon paused, "One of the most popular kinks is animal related. Some guys think it's really cute or attractive for a human to have ears or a tail when they mate. It shows up a lot on porn and animation."

"Do you have any idea if Daniel has some kink like that?" Jihoon asked.

Seongwoo thought for awhile and then clapped his hands excitedly. "Daniel likes cats! I saw a video he has with some cat ears before. It was a mating video."

"Perfect! It may just work then. If you transform just part of yourself and he gets attracted to that, it might be easier for him to get used to your cat form later. He will start imagining it in a dirty way instead of a wierd way. Then, as long as you don't go farther than that, he will be able to kiss you and eventually accept you fully."

Seongwoo doubted that Daniel could ever be attracted to any part of his feline form. He figured it was a long shot but he was stumped as to any other options available. Nothing they had tried had worked so far and he was desperate to find anything that would shorten the recovery time.

"It's worth a try. At least it will keep him from freaking out later on I guess if I have to change completely. Teach me how to transform my ears and tail please."

"Leave it to me."

As Woojin explained in detail, they all listened carefully and tried it on themselves. It wasn't too hard. Woojin explained he had to first picture his own aura. When Seongwoo was able to concentrate hard enough to see the faint green color floating in gentle waves around  him, Woojin obstructed him then to imagine moving more of that color on a focused part of his body.

He focused on his bum, picturing the exact color and shape of his tail in detail. The green color grew to become darker, thicker, and heavily concentrated around his lower back. The others gasped and clapped as his tail sprouted in miniature form, brown and black and fuzzy with a sleek shine. He moved it in a graceful S curve. He could actually feel it and control it perfectly as if it was a part of this body naturally.

"I did it!" He exclaimed in amazement.

"Great!" Woojin cheered, clapping noisily.

He was still wearing his wolf eyes, nose, and whiskers from when he had given an example. They then practiced partially transforming and had fun with it all together. Woojin helped him, instructing kindly and patiently in great detail until he was able to change his ears and eyes as well.

"Wow, Seongwoo, you're even prettier than normal like that! Daniel is going to get a shock but in a good way," Daehwi commented.

"Even more fuckable I agree. That's quite dangerous actually. Be careful how you use that weapon. You may just make the guy spontaneously spew," Guanlin said, giving him a lustier than normal lookover like he was stroking him with his eyes.

Jihoon squealed with delight and snapped a photo. Jinyoung nodded with approval after a long look over whenever Woojin looked at Jihoon and Jinyoung which he did often he got oddly bashful Seongwoo noticed. His aura changed too in that way that suggested he was attracted to them in the mate kind of way. When he looked at Seongwoo, it changed slightly too but not quite as bright.

Seongwoo felt flattered. Woojin was quite an attractive shifter but he preferred someone who smiled and talked a bit more. He did feel some attachment to him once he learned that Woojin had known Daniel when he was younger.

Seongwoo had started talking to Woojin more after the lessons were concluded. He thought Woojin was a really nice, funny guy even though he was awkward and often stuttered. After learning he was a dancer professionally, Seongwoo asked about how one got a career in dancing and if it was really that unstable and difficult of a job. Woojin then asked him to show his dance. That's when he explained about who his boyfriend was in detail.

"What? You're dating the Kang Daniel? The one from Busan who looks like a puppy and is always smiling for no reason? The most incredibly talented dancer I've ever seen? Wow, that's huge. You're so lucky. I'm like his biggest fanboy!"

Woojin explained that Daniel had been a dance legend in school and he had been a huge fan. They talked about Daniel for a long time during the lesson. It was interesting for Seongwoo to hear that Daniel was worshipped by girls and was terrible at studying. He was upset to hear Daniel had given up dancing. Woojin who was currently a back up dancer and choreographer for an entertainment company insisted that Daniel was a dance genius that was wasted doing computers. Seongwoo explained his parental situation and how he seemed to be yearning to get back into the field. Woojin suggested Daniel try out for the job available at his company and see how things went. He could choose to do it or not if the job interviews went well. 

 

 

"So, how are you feeling after talking with us and learning from Woojin?" Jihoon asked on their way back to the college campus.

Seongwoo smiled wide and genuine. "I feel great. For the first time, I actually feel like I've found a hole out of this hopeless darkness."

Guanlin and Jihoon shared smug, delighted grins and highfived over his head.

"Why don't you try it tonight? It's best to act when you're feeling in good spirits," Guanlin suggested, patting him on the head.

Why did tall guys all have that habit? Did his hair look especially soft and fluffy everyone had to touch it? He grimanced, reaching up to fix it back to the way it was which he had pretty much memorized by now.

"I'm not confident how to use it to be seductive..." he admitted with doubt.

"Oh I can show you that. Cute seductive is my thing. Right , Lin?" Jihoon replied proudly.

Guanlin's smile turned dreamy as he closed his eyes and hummed pleasantly. "Definitely your thing. But if you're going to practice that, I'm going to look the other way. Or we will show the kid an R rated scene I think he's really not ready for."

Jihoon and Guanlin shared a secretive chuckle, their eyes warm and flirty as they looked at each other, forgetting Seongwoo was present for a second.

Seongwoo stamped his foot and pouted. "No fair! Stop reminiscing about your hundreds of mating times in front of a person going to drastic measures just to do it once! Do you know how long I have suffered heat cycles with no relief even? Three years already!"

"No joke? Three freaking years?" Guanlin looked horrified. Well, looking at his personality, he probably hadn't even waited a week through his first cycle.

"Oh, you poor thing." Jihoon hugged him and pinched his puffed out cheek as he grumpily blew air into them.

"Guanlin, take a stroll and come back in five minutes. I will teach you some foolproof moves." 

 

 

Daniel anxiously drummed his fingers on his knees, watching the hands on the clock tick monotonously. He had finished his project and been alone like this for the past hour. Jisung had left his phone in case Seongwoo called. Him and Sungwoon were going out on a date before their shifts started.

"Why isn't he coming? Did he forget what button to press? Are they having so much fun he's not coming back tonight? Did he meet some new hottie shifter the others introduced and they're getting to know each other well?" He muttered in agitation, tapping his pen on his notebook to the rhythm of the ticking clock echoing through the eerily still room.

He hated waiting and worrying. He couldn't help it though. It was the first time that Seongwoo was hanging out with people instead of him. He was the one with schedules who had always left Seongwoo behind he realized. He had never gone to classes since he wasn't a student. The only time he adventured out was to go to the library or date him.

Daniel felt bad about that. Seongwoo made friends and he had a job and money now. He could explore the human world properly and have fun instead of being cooped up on campus, waiting for Daniel to be done. He didn't like that idea, robbing Seongwoo of a good time, especially if this was how he had been feeling for days on end. That was the only thing stopping Daniel from calling his phone and demanding Seongwoo get home because he missed him and was worried sick.

He groaned as he laid on the bed, staring at the slowly moving clock. God, this is pure torture. Just kill me...

Thirty more minutes he sat there groaning, sighing, and drumming in frustration, his mind torturing him cruely with all of these images of things that could be happening. He wasn't sure which scenario he hated worse the idea of Guanlin taking Seongwoo away to be his second mate, hinting about how he was going to show him a real good time, or the idea of Seongwoo carelessly stepping into the road and getting hit by a bus.

When the door clicked, he jumped up and squealed excitedly. Oh, thank god, finally, he almost said outloud. He collected himself at the last minute, not wanting to seem uncool in front of his boyfriend.

He smiled at Seongwoo with warmth and a bit of bashfulness as he still did whenever he first saw him. Every time he first saw him, somehow Daniel was overwhelmed and shocked by his utter beauty and perfection, his heart racing and his cheeks heating. He looked the other up and down as he came in. He looks safe and unharmed. Good, Guanlin didn't do anything then and no accidents it would appear.

"Hi..." He murmured.

Seongwoo smiled brightly, his cheeks flushing in that way that told Daniel he luckily still loved him.

How could he still love me after the jerkish way I've been acting, avoiding him,  rejecting him and dodging being physical? He's an angel that I don't deserve.

He was wracked with self contempt and guilt again as he had been hundreds of times a day. That's why it was hard to be around Seongwoo. Those feelings increased and filled his whole body up to the point he was about to burst...into tears of frustration and despair.

He felt so lonely and helpless these days and it was all an issue he caused himself. He had sat for hours upon hours the last two weeks, lost in thought about how he could get over his aversion and see Seongwoo as he had always seen him because who really cared. Even if Seongwoo was some kind of alien or monster, that didn't stop him from being sweet, beautiful, and pure. It didn't stop Daniel from loving him or caring about him. He looked the same as always.

So where does the panic, slight disgust, and fear come from when I'm about to kiss him and picture his cat form? Do I not love Seongwoo enough to ever truly accept him? Or is it just something that's going to happen eventually, but it just takes more time? How can I speed up the process?

Daniel's thoughts had been running around in circles for weeks, only coming to a couple minor conclusions here and there. He simply couldn't give up on Seongwoo yet, though he knew he probably should. He didn't have the mental or emotional strength to push him hard away which it would require because Seongwoo was clinging to him desperately and would absolutely refuse to leave on his own. He was selfishly keeping Seongwoo by his side, suffering in pain, while he wallowed in his own depression and inner conflict, getting love but not giving much of any back.

But he was going to try tonight. Seeing Seongwoo holding back tears for him, the first time he knew of the boy crying in the last week, had torn him up terribly inside and acted like a swift kick to his behind. He was going to kiss Seongwoo for hours every day until that image either stopped coming to his mind or he stopped reacting negatively. If he got sexually attracted to a cat as a result, so what. He wasn't going to be sticking his penis in one, just a half one, a beautiful, incredibly naturally sensual sweetheart of one while he was in his human form. That wasn't something to hate himself for. He wasn't a beast loving freak. He wasn't going to start feeling like making out with his cats at home.

That was all just human related paranoia getting to him, it was a ridiculous worry, and he was going to crumple them all up into the trash from today and never ever look at them again. He was ready to move forward with Seongwoo, at least mentally. He would drag his body up to that point as well. As soon as Seongwoo got close, he was going to pull him into his lap and...Oh, maybe pinning him on the bed would work better to get his body with the program because the one time they did that had been really hot. Before he learned that it wasn't a dream and Seongwoo had been a little pervert getting naked in his bed.

"Daniel, I have something to talk to you about."

"Me too. Sit down."

Daniel smiled as sweet and carefree as possible at him, patting the spot next to him. Seongwoo sat down and let out a shaky nervous sigh.

"Daniel, my friends gave me an idea that will help you become attracted to me again so we can kiss and eventually mate."

Daniel gently took his hands in his and squeezed. "It's really not that I'm not attracted to you. Listen, you are so beautiful and hot to me even now, I promise. Feel my heart. This is what just being with you does to me."

Daniel put Seongwoo's hand on his chest. They shared sweet, affectionate, slightly sad smiles as they felt Daniel's heart beating rapidly for a minute.

"I'm glad. But it's still not enough. I have something we can try. My friends told me about how some people have animal kinks..."

"Oh my god, I swear I don't think about mating with animals, Seongwoo! That's not why I have cats or took you home," Daniel stuttered, feeling mortified.

Seongwoo laughed. "I'm not talking about that kink. I'm talking about humans wearing cat ears or a tail. I heard that it happens in animations and porn sometimes."

"Well, I hate to admit that but in high school I did have a bit of a thing for that..." He muttered, picking at his cheek and looking down, smiling bashfully.

"So, what would you think about me like this but with brown ears and a tail? Would you think it was attractive?"  Seongwoo asked hopefully.

"You can do that?" Daniel asked with surprise, feeling enlightened. He thought there was just a chance it might work.

But then he sighed as the usual realism and negativity chased him down. "I don't know Seongwoo. There's a chance it's still going to be wierd. I don't want you to get your hopes up and get hurt again. I hate disappointing you."

Seongwoo crooked his head in a feline fashion that he knew now was a natural, cat-connected habit and softly smiled. "Let's just try it, hmm? We have nothing to lose anyway. If it doesn't work, we check it off the list and look for something else. We have our whole lives, right?"

Daniel smiled softly and held his palm against his cheek. "That's right. I'm not going to leave you. We're going to stick together and make it work as long as we love each other."

"Okay, then, here I go~" Seongwoo sang brightly, letting out a nervous breath of air.

Daniel took his hand off and Seongwoo took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Seongwoo stayed perfectly still and quiet, concentrating on picturing the green waves flowing to his ears and bum and then imagining the details of his cat ears and tail.

Daniel gasped in amazement as Seongwoo's ears morphed and a tail that was larger than the cat's but a similar shape and color morphed out of thin air. He stopped himself from jumping back just barely.

Breath, just breath. This is Seongwoo still. The man you love very much. He is baring himself to you. If you show too much of a negative reaction, he will be hurt and dispairing.

He watched in shock as the tail swished in waves and circles gracefully and the fuzzy brown ears poking out of the top of his hair swiveled forward and backward in a nervous twitch.

"How is it? Is it terrible? Are you freaked out?" Seongwoo murmured, at last opening his eyes bravely.

Daniel gasped as soon as he saw them and Seongwoo visibly flinched. He looked down, his tail and ears seeming to droop with disappointment. He bit his lip as if he were about to cry.

"No, look at me," Daniel encouraged breathlessly, tapping his arm.

Seongwoo's ears flicked forward and his tail tip twitched with anticipation. His lids opened more as he looked directly at Daniel. His eyes had the same shape as normal but they were a bright emerald green and slightly slitted at the pupil in the middle. His eyes were breathtakingly beautiful and exotic. If you looked at just his face, he was a fairy from some mystical land.

"Wow, Seongwoo your eyes. They're so beautiful, it's breath-taking. I didn't realize just how green they were when you were a cat."

"Does that mean you like them?" He asked in a bright hopeful tone, his tail and ears swishing with excitement in a way that was quite...cute and attractive.

Daniel had been worried that he would be terrified or wierded out by this look, but on the contrary, it was already growing on him. It was gradually becoming more appealing yet still strange, though not in a the unique, special way rather than a bad one.

"One plus one.." he murmured.

"Huh?" Seongwoo blinked and tilted his head curiously just like had often did when Daniel had rambled on about something in his cat form.

"I suddenly remember back when you said that you had a secret and I would like it if I thought of it like a one plus one deal. I understand what you mean exactly now. I get the cuteness of you in cat form with the beautiful, handsome, kissable human form. You're basically human to everyone else and then I get the bonus of extra adorableness and sensuality. You look really nice like that. I like these, all of it. Honestly. I don't think we're going to have any problems with me being wierded out anymore."

"My friends said if I stayed like this around you for a few weeks and we kissed, then later on this will be the form you think of, not my full cat form. They said that you would grow comfortable with it faster and that you may even be attracted to it. I don't know if you have that kind of kink but it would be nice..."

"I think I kind of do. I almost feel horny. At least I can say I find you very attractive like this. Do you mind if I touch them? Or will it be ticklish?" Daniel asked eagerly, eyeing them, and his fingers itching to touch the soft texture as he recalled it.

"I don't know exactly. Go ahead and try so we can find out."

He smiled with childlike excitement as he reached out for the shifter's fuzzy ears. Both his hands gently fingered them. They were just as velvety soft as he remembered but a bit bigger than when he was in his cat form. They were really pretty, bendy, and velvety.

Seongwoo flushed, closing his eyes with a content smile on his voice. He seemed to be enjoying it. Daniel laughed as he got more comfortable and felt mischievous enough to play around with them. He folded the brown ears down, then stretched them out alternatively.

Seongwoo giggled as the ears twitched in Daniel's hands. Daniel touched the fuzzy tip with a finger and whenever he did the ear would flick rapidly back and forth.

"That tickles, stop~" he softly complained.

Daniel chuckled, staring at the ears in an entranced state. "I like these. They're really cute and fun."

"Talk softly though. These ears feel more sensitive and we're closer since I'm as tall as you," Seongwoo pleaded, wincing as if the sound of his voice caused him pain.

Daniel lowered his voice. "Oh, that's pretty cool. You can probably spy on Jisung and Sungwoon then when they're talking on the phone."

Seongwoo nodded, smiling secretively with amusement. "Already have. You won't believe how cheesy Sungwoon is on the phone. He writes songs and poetry and performs them."

"Serious? Golden. You've got to whisper it to me next time."

"Roses are sweet, violets are sweet too, but nothing is as sweet as my love, which is you," Seongwoo recited one he recalled off the top of his head since it was short and rhymed.

Daniel cracked up laughing, clapping energetically, making Seongwo cringe at the loud noise. They laughed, falling over on the bed until they were laying down, Daniel on his back hugging Seongwoo lightly to his chest.

Seongwoo told him bits and pieces he remembered of other things Sungwoon had serenaded Jisung with to keep him laughing. It had felt like ages since he had heard the genuine, dorky, deep sound of his mate's laugh. It was a pleasant melody to his ears that made him smile wide for no real reason. They both felt happy and normal in this moment. Laughing at their friend's expense, joking around and touching without thinking so deeply about it.

As their laughs died down, Daniel absently brushed his ears and stroked his tail which Seongwoo wrapped the curve around his wrist to be closer enjoying the warmth and gentle touch. He purred which came out as a soft groan of pleasure.

"If you were a cat now, that would be your purring sound, right? You always did like being touched here."

Daniel moved to the bottom of his tail and behind his ear where the parts were joined to the rest of his body. "How is it in this body?" Daniel asked curiously as he scratched.

"It's nice of course. But in this body, I prefer your hands on other places. And your lips on me, I really prefer that. The things I like and the way my body responds to your touch is different. It's innocent pleasure when I'm a cat, but when I'm human, I'm a lot more sensitive since there's no fur and the way you touch me and kiss me makes me shake and heat up like there's this electric current running through me that makes my heart race like crazy and my entire body tense and sensitive."

"That's how you make me feel too. That's how you should feel when you intimately touch someone you like. It is your human body's sign that you're ready to mate. Wait, come to think of it, those times you were sick..."

"Yes, I think I was just intensely horny. And since I'm in the middle of my heat cycle, the symptoms get worse unless we mate. If we mate, I think I will stop feeling sick but I'm not exactly sure since I've never tried it. Guanlin and Jihoon assured me mating as a human is better and more effective at dealing with the painful symptoms so that's why they mate in human form."

"Well then, I guess we better get going on this mating bit. Now I get why you were eager. Here I was thinking you were just naughty. I can't believe I met shifters. What are their forms, do you know?"

"Well I haven't seen it completely but I saw their partial transformations all today so I can guess by putting their parts together. Jihoon is a rabbit , Guanlin is a chick, Woojin is a wolf,  and Daehwi is a river otter."

"Wait, go back a sec. Who's this Woojin dude? Is he after you? Why were you with another guy and just telling me now?" Daniel spat, narrowing his eyes.

Seongwoo giggled, innocence and amusement on his face. Daniel is properly jealous again, yes~ He is so cute like that.

"Park Woojin. He's a shifter friend of theirs who used to model but now is a dancer. He's the wolf shifter who taught us how to do this with our ears."

"Oh, well that's nice of him. More importantly, I need to know this before you have a new friend. Is he single? Did he seem into you? Was he staring at you with a creepy look or trying to touch you a lot? If so, I don't want you to meet him. I have my hands full with Guanlin already. I am going to turn murderous if I've got two good looking shifters to beat off of you."

Seongwoo laughed. "I would hate to lie anymore, so yes he was kind of into me but not as much as Jinyoung and Jihoon. He gets all flustered and stares at them in this funny, awed way. But mostly he's into you. He used to go to school with you. He was your fan. He told me all about how you were popular in high school but you remained a loner on purpose. He sounded like he wants to meet you and he was upset to hear you quit dancing."

Daniel listened to his description and thought back hard. "Oh, Park Woojin? The guy that looks like a sparrow and can't take a good picture? The dork who was always following me around with a video recorder to copy my moves but was never able to stutter out more than a sentence? That fanboy was a shifter and he was crushing on me? Huh, you don't say...Who would have thought I was a shifter magnet?"

Daniel felt proud and flattered. He wouldn't mind seeing Woojin again. The boy had been a fond memory since he had always made him laugh and sometimes he had pushed the exceptionally shy guy into practicing dance together. He had taught him all of his best moves.

"What's that dork up to these days?" He asked curiously.

Seongwoo explained about his job and his idea about auditioning for a part time position in the entertainment company as a dancer or choreographer.

"Hmm, I don't know. I'll think about it. If it's part time and pays better money than my current job, maybe..."

Seongwoo felt ecstatic about the positive response. He honestly hadn't expected Daniel to consider it but he was hoping. He would tell Jisung and then they could badger him into going. Then, hopefully he would realize his love for dance again and  stop forcing himself to go for a career he didn't find interesting in the least.

"Seongwoo..."

"Hmm?"

It semed like Daniel was then going to change the topic to something more serious so he tried to focus more.

"Sit up so I can see you properly first..."

They sat up, facing each other with their legs crossed. Daniel playfully touched his ears some more, gazing at them with a sort of amazed affection.

"I can really get used to these. You look like a Chobits robot. And you know it does seem like it works the way your friends guessed. I think I still have a bit of a kink for ears. It's coming back rather quickly. I want to kiss you badly...a lot...Can I?"

Seongwoo grabbed his arms and scooted closer, his green eyes sparkling with delight. His tail was swishing excitedly. "Yes! Please!" He nearly shouted.

Daniel laughed, thinking he was cuter than ever right now as he leaned his head forward to do as he promised. Daniel was still gently fingering his ears in a stimulating, massaging caress as their lips finally came together. It felt like they had gone to heaven. It was the best kiss they had yet to share because they had had to wait so long for it and it was extra sweet and emotional since they had just overcame the huge wall that had been stuck between them for weeks, causing them both intense loneliness, dispair, guilt, and regret.

For several minutes, they kissed with their eyes closed, lips giving gentle, intimate, affectionate brushes full of love, delight, and relief. They couldn't pull away or stop. They had no real reason to and they had lots of missed kiss opportunities to make up for.

They didn't try to make out. Seongwoo couldn't ask that much of him. He was finally able to even kiss him a little.

Daniel, on the other hand, was growing excited enough to want to as time wore on, but he felt like that would somehow dirty their romantic, heavily emotional, and pure moment. They were restabilishing their deep feelings for each other and basking in the joy of being able to be a normal couple again(minus some little details like his boyfriend was supernatural and half feline). He was blissfully happy to kiss Seongwoo like normal and not be riddled with negative thoughts worries and strange images. He didn't want to change this picture yet to a naughty sensual one. But he could not wait to tell Seongwoo that he thought he could actually mate.

Seongwoo was going to be thrilled to hear that Daniel could soon give him what he really wanted, meaning he wouldn't be getting sick anymore. He was going to destroy that heat cycle, though he wasn't sure how it worked yet. It seemed different than just being horny. Seongwoo  had seemed in actual pain when the heat waves came on. He become imobile and it was difficult for him to properly function. The doctor had said that the symptoms got worse as the months grew on, especially for cats that hadn't mated as they grew older. Seongwoo had never mated, meaning he had heen dealing with these pains twice a year with no relief and intensifying symptoms.

He should really get going on progressing their relationship. He wondered if there was some kind of foreplay that relieved his symptoms because he was kind of terrified to try sex just yet. He needed at least a couple more weeks to get adjusted to the idea. He would need to look more things up and ask his hyungs for serious advice again. Seongwoo didn't know what he was doing and so he felt like he had to be in charge, and if that was the case, he wanted to know best how to make him enjoy himself and experience the least amount of pain possible. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too awkward and painful for them.

Three weeks he decided. That was the date he set. In three weeks, he was going to attempt to have sex with Seongwoo.

Seongwoo wondered what Daniel was thinking about that made him groan and kiss him more passionately, setting his body on fire. The heat symptoms that he hadn't felt for awhile were back in full force, feeling twice as strong and intense as they ever had. His lower part was swollen, his skin hot and covered with a thin layer of dewy sweat, and purr like moans of pleasure spilled from his throat. He wanted more. He was aching for Daniel to touch him and kiss him just like that but with his tongue stuffed hungrily into his mouth. He wondered if he should act on it or not. He didn't want to push Daniel past his limit. He wanted to be strong, understanding, and patient. That's what dating magazines said was the way to be the ideal boyfriend. It also said good boyfriends didn't move too fast or demand sexual activities ever.

He pushed Daniel's chest and sat back, putting distance between them. He sighed and took a few deep breaths. He could hear the sounds of Daniel's slight excited pants and his heart racing against his rib cage rhythmically. That sound was stimulating, beautiful, and erotic. He squeezed his eyes shut and focused on quickly getting rid of his ears. If he heard any more of that, he was going to pounce on Daniel and demand they start mating right this instant and hungrily suck his savory lips.

Daniel watched, whining with some reluctance as the ears and tail disappeared. To his surprise, he felt some attachment to them after seeing them the last hour or so. He hoped that Seongwoo would bring them out often when they were home. He looked even cuter and more sensual.

Seongwoo opened his eyes. He stared at the stark bright emerald color in amazement as it slowly faded to the usual dark chocolate brown.

"Oh, Seongwoo. We're back to normal. We got through it. I'm so happy I don't know what to do with myself."

Daniel pulled the red faced, sweaty, dazed and tired looking, human like shifter into his arms, crushing him tight to his chest. Seongwoo jumped into his lap, wrapping his arms tight around his chest. Despite he was heavy, Daniel held him like a child and rocked him. They continued hugging, happy tears of relief spilling from their cheeks and giggling for some odd reason.

"It's great to have you back, Daniel. I really missed hugging and kissing you..." Seongwoo murmured against his neck where he was nestled into.

"My Seongwoo... How much I love you seriously. I've missed you so much~ I'm so sorry for all the jerky things I've done and all the worry, anxiousness, and hurt I've caused. Never again... I promise I will never ever hurt you again. I will never make you cry again.  Please say you will forgive me or I don't think I will ever stop hating myself."

"Shh, Niel~ Don't hate yourself anymore. Of course I forgive you. I'm the one that's sorry for lying to you for so long. I wanted you to find everything out from me, not in the sudden, shocking way it happened."

"That's Jisung's fault then."

"It's not. Jisung is your best friend. He cares for you like his own family. He was just looking out for you. He thought I was a stalker trying to do bad things in your sleep."

Daniel moved back and looked at him through narrowed suspicious eyes. "What you were doing that night. You know, cuddling with me while I slept and then you kissed me and I took advantage of you because I was confused with my dream. Did that ever happen before?"

Seongwoo flushed and avoided eye contact. "No, just that one time..."

He didn't think that Daniel would like knowing how he didn't recall his first kiss, so he decided to take it with him to his grave.

"Hey, guys... Omo!"

Jisung opened the door and dropped his things with his hands over his dropped open mouth. He then ran to them with delight, squealing like a high school girl at an Exo concert.

"Are you guys all better now? Daniel got over his issues finally?"

Seongwoo nodded with a beaming grin, still ensnared snugly in Daniel's arms since he was in no rush to let him go. Daniel hid his embarassed, flushed face in Seongwoo's chest. Seongwoo giggled, brushing his hair. Jisung hugged them tight and popped a kiss noisily on Daniel's blonde wavy crown.

"You dummy. You sure left us worried for a long time there. Glad you're back to normal. You two be happy now. I'm sorry for getting in the way by overreacting. I misunderstood gravely. I fully support you now and I'm going to keep your secret."

"Thank you," Seongwoo murmured, kissing him on the cheek.

"Hey, I don't mind you two being close, but there will be none of that." Daniel pushed them away with an explosion of jealousy at their intimate touch though he meant it as being innocent. "From now on, Seongwoo kisses and sleeps only with me."

Jisung and Seongwoo giggled, finding him entertaining. "You're so cute~" they both exclaimed as they pinched his cheeks on alternative sides.

That night, they talked about what had happened today. Seongwoo showed off his new skill which Jisung loved as much as Daniel. He said he was envious and it was unfair that he lost even more in terms of beauty then.

Jisung convinced Daniel to try out for the dance job luckily. He explained that Daniel's talents were wasted on children and that he would make more money and have fun doing it. If he didn't like it or didn't have the time for the job, then he could quit easily enough.

For the first time, Seongwoo fell asleep with Daniel, cuddling his human form, sharing sweet and playful kisses now and then late into the night. They both had a peaceful, deep sleep in the other's embrace. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, happy dance~ The first angsty arc of this story is finally over. You made it through, congratulations! Been an emotional two weeks for this story, right? Sorry about that, it just had to be done for character development.
> 
> Well, I think I feel very proud of the way that it turned out. This chapter is long to make up for the short chapters. I could have split it up but I decided to connect everything together since it has a lot of what Daniel has been going through. I know that many felt frustrated with him before. I hope you can see through here that he was clearly aware of how much of a jerk he was being and he was fighting with himself every step of the way and feeling incredibly guilty and ashamed of his choices. All he ever wanted was to be able to love Seongwoo fully and it was tearing him up inside for weeks that he couldn't. He was even thinking that he should let Seongwoo go to Guanlin as a second mate if it was going to make him happier. Ah, maybe that sounds wierd, but with Daniel's understanding, he thinks that it's fine for shifters to have more than one mate, and I guess it really is in my mind since animals are often like that but with Panwink niether of them wanted to actually do something with Seongwoo like that. Lin is a perpetual flirt with any attractive friend of Jihoon's as I mentioned when they first met Seongwoo, just for the record.
> 
> You got to see all the guys back, there's some couple moments, and more OngLin which I love writing about to make Dan jealous. Also, Woojin is finally here! But just a cameo for now. He had an important role to play here, since without him, then who knows when Ongniel would have gotten better. He's an old friend of Dan and we're going to meet him later when Dan goes to audition for choreographer position. That will be the mark of the second angsty arc quite a ways down the road still. Most importantly, Ongniel is fixed and closer than ever and they're going to have all sorts of fluff now. Yay~! I enjoyed writing the angst but I much prefer fluff so I'm excited.
> 
>  
> 
> Next chapter, the hyung line and maknae line will all meet up! And you can see what these guys do on a rainy day~ Thank you for sticking through this story until now. I hope that you didn't cry too much. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter or this angsty arc. Looking forward to seeing you guys again in a few days. Comments please~
> 
> <3 Raina


	26. One Rainy Day in Autumn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel and Seongwoo spend a rainy day off with their friends with lots of fun and laughter.

Seongwoo was the first to wake up and the last to sleep that night. He opened his eyes when the sun spilled out through the edge of the curtain, waking him up that morning to see the sleeping blonde still next to him but he didn't dare move his body. Daniel was easily stirred awake, though it took awhile to actually get him out of bed because he could fall asleep again just as quickly. It was a sort of talent, Seongwoo thought.

He smiled, fighting back a giggle as he realized Daniel had been holding him all through the night. Just like before they had fallen asleep, the human's heavy, muscular arm and leg were wrapped snuggly around him and they were face to face on the pillow. Daniel had his head pressed into the pillow and his blonde, much too long, messy hair fell over his forehead and nose so Seongwoo could only see the left side of his face partially. He looked more peaceful than ever, a slight smile permanently etched on his lips like he had fallen asleep half laughing or he was having a terrific dream.

Seongwoo gazed at his cutesome(handsomely cute and cutely handsome)mate with a wide smile, thinking how lovable he was and how lucky he was to have this wonderful attractive person who was talented at various things and had the kind, giving nature of an angel as his mate still.

Ah, I'm so happy I didn't lose him. I swear I will never ever lie to him or hide something from him again. I don't want to ever again risk this bliss we are sharing.

He had never felt happier or closer to Daniel than last night and right now. It was odd since they barely talked and they weren't doing anything to progress their intimate relationship. He had just felt great knowing everything was out in the open and they had cleared all that strange awkwardness out of their relationship permanently and they were sharing a bed all night for the first time as an actual couple. It was a big step he felt for them. It meant a lot to be able to actally sleep with Daniel in his human form. It had been amazing being sweetly coddled and sharing loving smiles, giggles, blushes, and playful, innocent kisses.

"Hmm... You're awake?"

Seongwoo had stretched out his leg which had started to cramp up under the weight of the other's. Daniel, who was a light sleeper and sensitive, woke up immediately.

"Good morning, Sleepyhead. You certainly look cutest when you've just woken up," Seongwoo chuckled, softly greeting him.

Well, he knew that already but it had been a first time for him to see it with his human eyes. He liked the way that Daniel looked at him in the morning in his human form. It was incredibly sweet and delighted.

"Morning, pretty boy..."Daniel responded gruffly with a dorky, crooked, sleepily dazed grin that made a dimple pop out in his swollen cheeks.

"You're cuter. Never seen your hair messy," he then chuckled and teased.

Seongwoo squealed in horror, hiding his shamed face and messy, ugly bed hair under the blankets. Daniel hugged him across the blankets and crushed him to his chest, humming with pleasure. Seongwoo's face heated further, nestling naturally into his favorite spot, the slight hallow dip in the middle of his chest. There was no place like Daniel's broad, pillowy warm chest and in his gentle, loving arms. He could just die from sheer happiness right now.

"Did you sleep well? I hope I wasn't disturbing you. I toss around and sleep talk I know. I'm sorry if I kicked you, stole all the blankets, or woke you up in the middle of the night," Daniel murmured, kissing his head through the blankets. 

"I've slept with you often, Dan. I know all about your habits. I even know you talk about me often in your sleep as you dream of me," Seongwoo popped up out of the blankets for a second to say, flashing a teasing grin.

Daniel flushed and hid his face in the pillow again. "Ah, how humiliating! Is there nothing you don't know? I feel like I'm naked..." He squealed into the pillow.

"Well, you usually are. Why did you sleep with clothes on? Just be comfortable, don't mind me."

Seongwoo knew Daniel preferred to sleep without any pajamas but last night Daniel had worn some training clothes to bed. Seeing how damp the bed and pillows were, he had been hot enough to sweat because of them. He got hot at night which was why he slept without much on and kicked off his blankets in the middle of the night.

Daniel shook his head furiously. "How could I sleep naked with you on our first night? What if I had another dream and attacked you? Jisung's even in the same room! I don't want to have our first time like that. I've got to do anything to cut off all temptation." 

Seongwoo pouted. "We can still sleep together tonight and every other night though, right? The floor is uncomfortable and cold..."

"You want me to warm you up and be your cozy pillow every night, that's what your saying?" Daniel chuckled.

Seongwoo nodded and pecked his eye mole. "And I want lots and lots of kisses. You totally owe me!"

Daniel returned a peck on his freckles. Yay for sweet treatment kisses~

"Hmm, kisses, lots and lots...I think all these things can be arranged, my love. Ah, you're going to be the death of me, Ong Seongwoo. You make me so happy I don't know what to do with myself~" Daniel squealed happily in this high-pitched child like voice that Seongwoo had yet to hear.

He seemed truly ecstatic and that made Seongwoo touched. He had thought he would do anything for Daniel to be happy even if it meant giving up on him and leaving the dorm. Yet it turned out thankfully the way to make Daniel happiest was to be himself and wait patiently for him to grow used to the idea of his special identity.

Daniel rolled Seongwoo over and tickled his sides, making the shifter squirm and giggle. He tried to tickle Daniel back but Daniel wasn't very ticklish. He easily overpowered him with a smug, playful smirk, grabbing his wrists above their heads and linking their fingers.

"Love you..." he murmured, pulling up their hands and putting light kisses over the back of his hand and finger tips.

"Love you more..." Seongwoo flushed, positively beaming with happiness from below him.

They laid like that for awhile, arguing childishly about who loved who more, stealing their hands back and forth to kiss them.

"I love you infinity!" Daniel laughed as Seongwoo dropped his mouth open, looking betrayed that he had said the winning phrase first this time.

"I love you um, infinity times inf--"

Daniel dived down and kissed his lips to stop him. "Face it, I win this time, pretty boy~" he teased, raining kisses on his lips and chuckling every time Seongwoo started to retort.

Eventually, Seongwoo just gave in and kissed back, humming in pleasure as he wrapped his arms around Daniel's neck, amazed as always about the incredible bredth and strength in his shoulders. Daniel had the biggest, naturally strongest build of any human he had ever seen. And from now on, they're only mine to touch~

 

 

Jisung woke up to the sounds of giggles and happy sounding whispers from across the room. He smiled widely, not needing to open his eyes, as he recalled the couple had finally made up.

Two weeks he had gone on living with the nastiest feeling in his stomach. Their room had been filled to the brim with a gloomy, tense, solemn, nervous atmosphere the whole time and all because of his immature, insensitive actions.

Jisung had felt racked with guilt ever since the night he'd seen the two cry and fight. He had never expected things to be so intense with them. He had never expected how deep, sensitive, and attached Seongwoo was to Daniel and vice versa. Maybe it had something to do with their similar pasts and scars he only knew the surface of, but they were incredibly close for people who had met less than a couple of months ago.

He had been easing his own guilt by taking care of Seongwoo and trying to be a source of strength, comfort, and positivity for him. For the most part, it had worked, but a dark feeling had been eating away at him like he had a bug of remorse in his stomach causing him to feel ill.

Now that they had fully made up with Seongwoo's ingenious idea, it was all gone. He gazed at the couple with a warm, affectionate smile as if he was watching his sons. They were innocently kissing, heads covered partially by blankets, their faces flushed and lit up with bashfulness and pure adoration for one another. They were childishly arguing about who loved who more.

He recalled when Sungwoon and him had first started dating they had done something similar. The positions had been reversed then, with Daniel waking up to seeing that scene and smiling, happily his stomach aching with slight envy.

Right, he needed to decide what to tell Sungwoon about all this. He had been avoiding talking about any of it, not even their confrontation or how he had found Seongwoo naked and heavily fooling around with a sleeping Daniel.  Sungwoon knew only that he had stopped disliking Seongwoo and they were friends now.

Jisung often had Seongwoo taken along with them or forced Sungwoon to meet here instead of going out for dates because he knew Seongwoo was the loneliest and hurting the most when Daniel was away, attempting to avoid coming home and facing him and their mess of issues. Thank god all of that drama was finally over. He was looking forward to living with the happy couple as well as having his own romance life back.

"Aw, you two are positively precious," he murmured, jumping up to go to them, overwhelmed with a feeling of love himself.

He was so fond of both of these guys he couldn't contain himself from showering them with affection.

"Ah! Heavy! Jisung! Get off!" The couple complained noisily and groaned as he belly flopped over them, holding them tight with his arms and legs making, an Ongnielsung sandwich. 

 

 

Seongwoo wanted to go out for a date since it had been ages for them. Daniel didn't have work or classes today since it was some minor Korean holiday so it was perfect. Except when they opened the curtains they saw the weather was horrid. It was windy and pouring torrential rain, likely a typhoon passing by.

"Ah, too bad. We will go out as soon as the rain passes. Let's have fun in the room in the mean time, hmm?" Seongwoo pouted as he peeked between the curtains.

Daniel hugged the pouting boy from behind, sweetly plopping a noisy, affectionate kiss on his cheek. Seongwoo couldn't help smiling at the sweet distraction attempt, though he was still bummed they couldn't go out and enjoy their perfect day to their hearts content.

Daniel suggested they kill time by playing board games. They started out with a game of Clue, one of Jisung's classic favorites. Seongwoo scratched his head, wearing a confuzzled frown most of the time they explained how to play.

"You're a sharp kid, Ong. I'm sure you will get it as we actually play," Jisung assured as he put three random green cards from the seperate room, weapon, and suspect piles into the yellow evidence folder marked confidential in bold letters.

The point of the game he learned was they were competing detectives from different companies trying to figure out what happened in the murder case. They needed to move their pieces and make conjectures about who commited the murder with what weapon in the room that they went to. Then, the others would say wether they had that card or not. They had to keep track of who had what and what wasn't revealed yet going around to various rooms and interrogating each other until they could accurately guess which exact three cards were missing.

They looked at each other suspiciously and tried to sneak peaks at the other person's cards to speed up the game. Seongwoo, it turned out, had a good memory and a good sense for judging their facial expressions.

"Is it Mrs. Scarlett in the library with the rope?"

"I know it! It's Mr. Green in the hall with the revolver, isn't it?"

"Hmm, I'm just going to make a wild guess here but I've got a good feeling. Is it Mrs. Peacock in the rose garden with the candlestick?"

After Seongwoo guessed accurately what cards were missing within five minutes on the third game, Daniel and Jisung got suspicious and didn't want to play with him anymore. They threw down their cards in a sign of surrender to the master newbie.

"You have some other special ability you're not telling us, right?" Jisung accused.

"Do you have X-ray vision like X-men? I swear you can see through the cards. Oh my god, then you could see our panties!"

Seongwoo laughed, recalling back when Daniel had joked about his ring having mind reading powers. He knew it didn't but he had really believed it for awhile. He decided to get back at Daniel in a similar way, he had seen them change last night so he knew already.

"Jisung has green panties with giraffes. Daniel has black panties with pink peaches," he answered confidently with a smug cat like grin.

They both covered their lower regions with their hands, gasping and flushing a deep red like tomatoes. Seongwoo snickered behind his hand.

"Just kidding! Got you good!" He cheered, putting his hands up into the air in a victory celebration he had seen on some documentary about the Olympics the other day.

He was trying to cut back on watching the mating videos because they weren't that helpful for him to learn about Korean and the human world and they also brought on heat waves as he started excitedly imagining him and Daniel in place of the actors. It was still going to be a long time before him and Daniel got that far, considering how busy they both were and that they were almost never alone these days. Plus, they hadn't attempted to make out since the reveal and he wasn't sure if Daniel could or wanted to yet.

They played a new game after that called Sorry. It was more about luck and strategy which it turned out Daniel was better at than the others. Just before he turned the tables around at the very end with a bunch of wild and send to home cards, he started a bet that the winner would make the losers grant him any wish he wanted. He forced Jisung to call Sungwoon over and he had to do a sexy or cute girl group dance in front of him. Sungwoon apparently didn't have any schedules when Jisung video called him, as he was hanging out with the forever free scholarship students Minhyun and Jaehwan. Apparently, he had bumped into them at the grocery store. They were all there to stock up on some ramen.

"Jisungie~ Saranghae, I have missed you~" Minhyun stuck his head in, taking the phone away from Sungwoon and kissing the lens.

Jaehwan put his head up right next to Minhyun so they were cheek to cheek. "Ji Ji Ji Ji baby baby~" he sang to the tune of Girl's Generation's old song.

"Long time no see!"

"Don't you miss me too?"

They went back and forth speaking English, in a heavily accented way in Jaehwan's case. Jisung told them to shut up and that he didn't at all because they were always noisy and Jaehwan always destroyed his room messing with their soccer ball and touched him without washing his hands. They asked to see Daniel, then cheered enthusiastically as Seongwoo came up in the picture, curled up behind Daniel's body. He rested his head on Daniel's shoulder and smiled shyly with a little wave. They asked him a ton of questions, overly excited to see him as always, especially since it had been nearly a week.

"Hi guys...Um, I'm good. School is boring," Seongwoo commented shyly.

"Gah, so cute! I wanna bite him. Let's go right now and bite his cheeks, Min!" Jaehwan said excitedly with a squeal, literally nipping at the camera part of the phone.

Daniel smiled with amusement, looking back proudly at his ever popular mate. Everyonethat met him going for this attention and showered him with compliments and yet he was the lucky one that got to spend every day in his cute presence and recieve  all of his love. He whispered something in Seongwoo's ear. 

The shifter just repeated it but he didn't know what it meant. "How are you?"

"Uh.. I'm twenty two..." Jaehwan answered confidently. 

They all cracked up laughing besides Seongwoo and Jaehwan who just looked confused. He didn't understand this other language well and apparently Jaehwan didn't either.

"Ah, that's Korean age. I'm twenty one," Jaehwan said uncertainly.

Daniel laughed hysterically, hitting Seongwoo's thigh. It tingled and felt hot, making him recall other times way back when he had stroked his thigh with a totally different intention. Seongwoo flushed as a mini heat wave came on and naughty thoughts filled his mind, smiling shyly into Daniel's t-shirted broad shoulder.

Minhyun affectionately wrapped his arm around Jaehwan and shook him with vigor, chuckling. "You dummy. He asked how you are not how old," he teased explaining in Korean.

"Ah, okay okay. I'm good. Let's go! We now free, so we come over."

"There they go, inviting themselves to things and doing whatever they want. They're impossible," Daniel sighed, resting his head tiredly on Seongwoo's.

"It's going to be a full house. Better clean up or Min will nag, or worse start cleaning just out of boredom. We better get the games, snacks, and drinks all out," Jisung suggested, getting up and letting out a tired sigh as well.

He had sort of wished for one peaceful weekend but when you had friends like them there was no such thing. Anyway, he was happy to spend time with Sungwoon anyway. He felt like he hadn't been able to focus on his boyfriend fully since he had been worried about and always taking care of Seongwoo these days. Now he could make up for that.

When the rain cleared up, the others would go out on their own to date or play and him and Sungwoon could have some much needed intimate alone time. Sungwoon had been getting cranky since he hadn't been getting any.

"Sorry, Seongwoo. I guess it will be hard for us to enjoy any us time. When it gets sunny out, I will try to find a way to ditch them. I don't want any double dates," Daniel apologized, kissing Seongwoo on the cheek when he lifted his head up to look over at him in response.

Seongwoo smiled softly and shook his head. "I don't mind. Your friends are fun. I'm sure we will have a great time. I could use the laughter."

"Hey, I can make you laugh too," Daniel complained with a pout.

Jisung made a doubtful face, which started a pillow fight. This time Seongwoo joined in on it, finding it a total blast. He didn't understood why he'd been scared of it those other times before. Well, it was probably because now he didn't have to worry about being stepped on or sat on. They stopped when Daniel tackled Seongwoo to the bed since he had been repeatedly hitting him with stuffed animals in both hands, both laughing  and shouting like maniacs. They stopped because they both realized they were in a suggestive position.

"Oh, I can't look, it's a 19 scene," Jisung teased, covering his eyes with both hands.

Daniel was fully laying on top of Seongwoo and to make matters worse, his hands had slid up Seongwoo's shirt so his chest was exposed. They both flushed and hurried to correct their position, their minds also wandering in certain ways that made them smile with guilt and secretive excitement. Daniel couldn't help glancing at Seongwoo's pale, smooth stomach as he pulled his shirt down. Seongwoo bit back a moan as his hot fingers brushed his skin near his pants rim.

They got up, awkwardly avoiding each other while they cleaned up and got ready for guests. When the door opened, Sungwoon went straight to Jisung while the other two went straight to Seongwoo. Sungwoon and Jisung shared a sweet, excited hug and a passionate kiss that bordered on raunchy.

Jaehwan hugged Seongwoo and pinched his cheeks. "Aw you're so cute. I feel all fired up just looking at you. It's been too long. You look hotter somehow though I didn't think that was humanly possible. Did you lose weight?"

Minhyun and Daniel shared a hug. The older man brushed the younger's cheeks with a slight frown.

"Daniel lost quite a bit of weight too. Are you guys on a diet? Or is it money troubles? You need to eat properly...Shall hyung lend you some cash?"

"We're fine moneywise. We were just sick this week and busy so we didn't have a chance to eat much," Daniel lied convincingly.

Seongwoo nodded, brushing away Jaehwan's hands and reaching out to pull at his mandu cheeks which appeared puffier. Jisung came over to pat him on the back with a secretive smile.  Then, Daniel caught sight of Minhyun heading for Seongwoo with his arms wide open. Before he could give him a hug, Daniel grabbed Minhyun and directed him away skillfully, claiming he had some big bug with his newest project he couldn't figure out. Luckily, Seongwoo hasn't seemed to notice.

Seongwoo snickered softly behind his hand as he saw his jealous boyfriend grab Minhyun before he could come over to hug him. Minhyun hugged him whenever he saw him as well as Jaehwan but Daniel especially didn't like it with the former guy. He was so obviously worried since they were just the slightest bit friendly and Minhyun was handsome. Like it really mattered. Guanlin and Minhyun had nothing on Daniel, in his opinion. It was amusing to watch him misunderstand and worry unnecessarily though.

They excitedly sat down, honing right in on the snacks, insisting they would pay them back for it and help clean up. The guys commented about why he was always over here these days and how they had never seen of him doing homework and there were rumors he always skipped class. Daniel and Jisung shared a wary look, realizing they had to say something to calm the others yet throw them off track. Luckily, sharp and witty Jisung had predicted this situation would come eventually and had already planned a script with a believable backstory.

"We have something to confess. Seongwoo isn't actually a student. He's living with us and hiding his identity because he's a..."

They all gathered closer, looking curious. It didn't help that Jisung was being dramatic and whispering like he was revealing the secret of the century.

"He's a runaway refugee from North Korea. His dad is after him to bring him back. A real cruel guy, big supporter of you know who. So, we've got to keep his wherabouts on the down low. Don't say anything to anyone and if something happens around school you cover him. Got it?"

They all commented that it was cool to know a refugee and asked him lots of questions about his life there. Seongwoo didn't know anything about that land so he started to stutter and look down in slight fear. Daniel quickly jumped to his rescue.

"You already know how shitty life is there. It's all over the news and books. It's difficult for him to talk about it because he has to relive all the horrors he's seen with the gruesome details. I don't want him go through that again."

Seongwoo shared a look with him and took his silent cue to play on the act. He wiped his eyes and bit his lip before diving into Daniel's chest. Daniel shhed him and pet his head gently.

He sweetly murmured, "Oh, you poor thing."

"It's alright, you don't need to talk about it if it's hard."

"He must have had a hard time."

"Let's not ask him anymore about it."

The three murmured among choruses of sympathetic aws. After that, there was no more mention of his wherabouts, identity, or why he was living with them now. They sat down, eating snacks, drinking soda, and played a card game called Poker. They did a few practice rounds while explaining the rules until Seongwoo got the hang of it.

As they played for real, Minhyun and Daniel snuck peaks at Seongwoo's cards but not to beat him. Rather they were trying to help him win. Seongwoo didn't notice. He was too focused with his brows furrowed. It ended up being a battle between Jaehwan and Seongwoo after the others folded. They were betting the snacks from their bowls. Seongwoo had his brows furrowed in concentration. Daniel and Minhyun smiled softly and chuckled, thinking he was cute, leaning in close to see his cards and give him pointers of the points he had.

When Seongwoo won, he cheered with excitement and both boys gave him hugs and affectionate pats. Minhyun backed off when Daniel glared at him over Seongwoo's head, thinking that Minhyun was touching him a bit longer than appropriate.

You would think Jaehwan would be angry, but mostly Jaehwan was envious of both the guys touching Seongwoo. He wanted to hug Seongwoo again but he had unfortunately been unable to snag a golden seat. He hardly ever got chances to hug someone that cute and handsome. But he decided not to take chances with how Daniel was staring a hole through Minhyun whenever he touched or smiled at Seongwoo, even though Minhyun was only fond of him like a cute dongsaeng he felt an impulse to care for. That was just Minhyun's nature and he had long grown used to it. When he was a bit shy and cold around you was when he really liked you actually.

 

 

When the rain stopped, Daniel suggested they go out. He got a message from Seongwoo's model friend that said his paycheck was in. He suggested they go out and get a phone. He sort of subtly and then later not so subtly hinted that he wanted to go out alone with Seongwoo, but as usual, his friends ignored his wishes completely.

They all ended up going together. They insisted they wanted to see the agency and get a look at where Seongwoo worked. Jaehwan and Minhyun stole Seongwoo away from Daniel as they walked down the campus street from the dorms towards the agency. They linked arms with him on either side, asking him all about his modeling experiences and if he had met any famous people yet.

Daniel was forced to hang out with Jisung and Sungwoon who were on a happy fall date. He pouted as he looked at the scenery of the golden ginko trees and the bright red maples scattering tornadoesof leaves from the wind onto the grey cement pathway. It was such a romantic season and not to mention his favorite. The weather was cool and it was sunny yet breezy and the colors were breathtaking and somehow warmed you up inside and made you smile.

He wished he could be alone strolling through the leaves with Seongwoo talking about nonsensical stuff and just pleasantly chatting, sharing in laughter and shy loving smiles. Instead, he had to be stuck with his friends as they did what he wanted to do exactly. 

Sungwoon and Jisung were whispering and giggling to each other while swinging their clasped hands. Sungwoon whispered something suggestive in his friend's ear, judging by the pink tint spreading over his cheeks. They chuckled and Jisung playfully smacked him and told him to stop it. Sungwoon said he would never as long as he got some reaction out of him. Jisung affectionately kissed him, calling him an incorrigible perv. 

Jisung eventually noticed the sour look on loner Daniel's face. He linked his arm through Daniel's arm and pulled him close. "You know as a wise senior in high school once..."

"That you once banged," Daniel interrupted teasingly to say.

Jisung punched him and gave him a look to pipe down about that because it was indeed true but he didn't want his possessive boyfriend knowing his full dark slutty past.

"Once said, you lose if you're the jealous one. Do you have any idea how obvious and controlling you're being? You are going to chase his friends away!" He scolded in a motherly fashion.

"He can have friends, of course, just I prefer it be girls or straight men," Daniel huffed with a stubborn pout.

Jisung and Sungwoon both laughed.

"And that is why I hate dating virgins right there. We don't have that issue right, Ji honey?" Sungwoon bragged with a cocky grin.

Jisung rolled his eyes and smirked. "Yeah, like you're really one to talk. You're positively seething inside right now with Daniel and me just touching arms."

"No, I'm not. I'm totally over that silly Daniel complex. I'm sure that my position in your life is stable and I no longer feel inferior next to Daniel or have nightmares of you drunkenly hooking up one night and there being this flaming chemistry between you..."

"Ew, you dreamed of us doing it? That would so never happen no matter how drunk we got!" Daniel insisted, making a disturbed face.

"I know, it's preposterous, right? Play along with me here though. I'm going to make him eat his words," Jisung whispered to Daniel.

"Oh, so you don't mind even if I do this then..."

Sungwoon gritted his teeth, fighting back a frown as Jisung linked their hands. Daniel played along with Jisung by intertwining their fingers closely and squeezing, a sign of more romantic intimacy.

"Or this..." Jisung picked up his hand and kissed from the back of his hand down his arm.

Daniel laughed because it tickled. Sungwoon was red in the face with boiling rage he was barely containing, glaring at them.

"Or this even...?"

Jisung leaned over with his lips puckered out as if to kiss Daniel's cheek. Daniel froze and turned his head a bit so it was more accessible, holding back a laugh. He was enjoying this. He loved teasing Sungwoon, though his jealousy was really irrational.

Suddenly, Daniel let out a gasp and fell back from the group as something hit his chest. A large, tall figure had bumped into him hard, knocking him back.

"Mine!" A familiar voice came in a cute, childlike tone he had heard once a few weeks before, followed by an unmistakable hiss.

He hugged Seongwoo back and patted his bum beneath his thickly padded jacket, laughing softly. Seongwoo was clinging tightly to him and glaring daggers at Jisung. Jisung looked immediately apologetic.

Daniel pecked his nose playfully, cooing, "Aw, look at how much you love me~"

"Seongwoo, don't misunderstand. I wasn't making a move on him. We were just messing with Sungwoon's mind."

"Hey, why would you do that? You minx~ I was about to punch him!" Sungwoon shouted angrily, looking betrayed.

Seongwoo glared and pouted upsetly at Daniel. "You shouldn't let just anyone kiss you, anywhere for whatever reason!"

Daniel squeezed him tighter and laughed with disbelief. "Wait, I'm the pitiful victim here, why am I being scolded~" he complained.

"Seongwoo, come here. Let's make up~" Jisung suggested sweetly, pulling at Seongwoo's shoulders.

He stubbornly refused to look at Jisung and merely clung tighter to Daniel.

"Seongwoo-yah, don't hate me. I won't touch a hair on Daniel's head again, I swear~" Jisung hugged the taller boy from behind, putting him in a sort of awkward sandwich.

"Hmph!" was the shifter's only grumpy, obstinant response.

Daniel chuckled as he rubbed his boyfriend's back, secretly loving the intimate contact. They were pressed really close, his face was closer enough to kiss all over, and his arms were sweet and warm around his neck.

He reassured softly, "Seongwoo, really, you're being silly. It was nothing."

"You shh. I'm not talking to you," the jealous shifter muttered childishly. 

Daniel chuckled, pointing out, "You just did." 

Seongwoo remained silent, merely clinging to him and hiding his head. Jisung tried to move to see his face, pleading, sweet talking him, and patting his back.

"Omo, he stuck out his tongue at me! Seongwoo-ya, I'm sorry~ Don't hate your umma," Jisung pouted and whined.

"You guys go ahead. We will catch up," Daniel suggested, waving them off.

They started walking, looking back every once in awhile curiously. Daniel stood for a few seconds just holding his lovely, upset boyfriend close and pecking at any skin or hair he could reach. Seongwoo whined in complaint and tried to avoid him but his height put him at a disadvantage here. Eventually, he was giggling with Daniel attacking him with noisy pecks on his cheek.

"All better now, right?" Daniel asked softly, his expression amused and loving. 

Seongwoo, his face a pretty shade of peach, looked up at him from a few inches away. They smiled wide at each other.

Seongwoo has such a pretty smile. I've really missed it. I can't believe how easy it his for him to make me smile and laugh. It's been pretty much nonstop since yesterday.

"Kiss me and I will forgive you for your atrocious Guanlin-like behavior," Seongwoo demanded with a mischevious grin his almond eyes crinkling up cutely.

"Eh~ We're outside though..."

"Fine then, cold shoulder treatment it is." 

Seongwoo's face turned chic like when he was often modeling and he started to let go and step away. Daniel embraced him tighter and held the back of his head, immediately giving him a heart stopping, romantic kiss. There were cheers from the group who had stopped to turn and watch them.

Daniel ignored them, smiling with slight amusement as he continued to kiss the dazed and pleasantly lost boy who had gone completely still, submissively submitting all control of his body over to the other. He dipped him back and kissed him a bit more firmly. There were more cheers from up the road. 

When Sungwoon and Jaehwan started chanting for him to slip in some tongue, Daniel decided it was an appropriate time to stop. He released Seongwoo who panted and stared at him, looking like he didn't know who he was or where they were anymore. Needless to say, the kiss brought Seongwoo's mood up and then all bad deeds were forgiven. Seongwoo returned to being his enthusiastic, bubbly smiling joking self. 

They held hands and stuck together this time, the other four doing something similar. Jaehwan was quiet for once, just seeming to enjoy the romantic scenery being with the man he liked. Well, there was eventually singing but Minhyun started it this time. Jisung teased Sungwoon for awhile about how he had totally fell for his trap. Sungwoon smiled guiltily and sincerely apologized for being a jealous jerk but he was still trying hard to work on it. Jisung told him not to change and that he had decided that side of his lover was attractive and flattering. It made him feel that much more wanted and appreciated,he explained in a positive tone. 

 

 

When they got to the agency, the others wandered around with amazement. There was a shoot going on they got to observe and they could see lots of signatures and magazine photos of top models and some other celebrities that the company had worked with. Jihoon and Guanlin were waiting for the shoot to start. As soon as Jihoon spotted Seongwoo, he bounded towards him at full speed across the room, abandoning Guanlin and the other two that were currently shooting.

"Seongwoo! You're finally here! What took you so long? I've missed you. It feels like ages."

Seongwoo braced for the bulkier sturdy body to crash into him, holding his arms out in a welcoming fashion. He smiled wide and giggled as Jihoon wrapped around him tightly like a koala would to a tree.

"Jihoon, how could you miss me? I just saw you yesterday!" He joked.

"Ah right...Well, in my defense, I haven't slept since yesterday because of jobs and well Guanlin's having bad heat cycles recently."

He let out a shy laugh and blushed, releasing Seongwoo to look at him properly. Seongwoo grinned and blushed at the concealed information. Basically they had had a few hours to sleep but they hadn't because he'd been mating. Lucky them, being able to relieve the symptoms of the pesky heat waves. It was going to be much longer for him it seemed.

"So, how did it go? Did he like your new look?" Jihoon next asked eagerly.

Seongwoo nodded, his smile widening and blush deepening as he thought of all the kisses and sweet hugs and the cuddling all night and the romantic confessions they had shared.

"It worked just like you said. He really liked them. He told me we shouldn't have any problems. He has an ear kink luckily. He kissed me a bunch and even played with them. We're totally back to normal. Thanks for your help."

"Don't mention it. I'm so happy for you." Jihoon squeezed him around the waist again.

"Guanlin, it worked!" He shouted.

Seongwoo motioned for him to shh. "Daniel's human friends came with us today. One of them knows everything but the others think something different. They don't know me and Daniel were acting wierd either. So, just talk about it quietly and not around them, okay?"

"Ah, I see. Are they nice hunans?" He whispered with curiosity in his tone.

"Hmm...yeah for the most part, I think. They played with me and pet me a lot when I was in my cat form. As a human, they helped me out with my studies and they have been kind. Mostly they're really funny and they have a close relationship with Daniel. Its important that they like me. I hope they like you guys too. Then, maybe we could all hang out together."

"Hmm, that could be possible. I know that Guanlin and Daehwi are okay around humans. Jinyoung is a bit of a problem. He has a kind of fear of humans after his lover died..." Jihoon murmured as he tapped his chin, thoughtfully staring at the floor.

"Why is that? Shouldn't someone who loved a human enough to hide his identity for years feel the opposite?" Seongwoo hummed as he cocked his head.

"Seongwoo you still have a lot to learn. For one, don't do that head tilt thing. It's adorable and if Guanlin sees it, I think he might snare you into his web. You don't want to juggle two male mates, it's unbelievably messy. It also resembles a cat way too much. You could get caught like that. You've got to study human habits a bit more. Follow exactly as they do." 

Seongwoo pouted sadly. "But Daniel likes it when I do it...He gets literal hearts in his eyes and he can't stop grinning and he always pets me. I like pets. I don't want to give up pets even staying in my human body," he complained.

Jihoon chuckled and reached up to pet his head. "Aigoo, our lovely Ong likes pets, what a sweet kitty. Okay, then be yourself only at your home okay. When you're in public, try to act as human as possible, okay? Just think of it like you're in character on a photoshoot. You're an excellent actor."

"Thanks! Okay I will do that boss!"

He flushed and scratched the back of his head.

"I'm not your boss. Anyway what I was saying about Jinyoung is that he came to realize the hard way humans are more fragile than us. They can die very easily and often they can die young. We don't die easily, right? My village still has a whole bunch of old shifters and they're as sturdy as rocks. Jinyoung is scared of doing something to cause humans harm or of becoming friends and then losing them. He hasn't gotten close to any human since that time. He only has us and Daehwi in his life. He's a lonely, cowardly, negative guy. I hope you can open him up. But understand if he doesn't approve of your relationship with Daniel. He clearly sees his younger self in you and he's worried you're going to go through that pain again." 

Seongwoo smiled and tapped his chest. "I will protect Daniel with all my strength. I will make sure he lives long and healthy until we're both grandpas and die in our sleep together."

"Good resolution," Jihoon nodded.

Guanlin had just reached them. Seongwoo greeted him in a friendly manner, but he was prepared to step back the moment the guy tried to get physical with him. He didn't want to make Daniel angry today, not when they had just made up and reconfirmed their feelings for each other. Guanlin plopped his arm on Jihoon's head because he was just that tall, even more so than Seongwoo himself with his superior genes. It didn't actually make much sense his shifter form should be the smallest of them all. Seongwoo wondered if everyone in his tribe was as freakishly tall but then he was from a neighboring country not Korea so it was possible.

"So, loverboy is back to having the hots for you? I told you that look was dangerous. He might just jump you one night if you're not careful. Oh wait, you haven't gotten him to mate yet, right? Perfect idea. So after the shower, put a big bath robe on and leave it loose, revealing a lot of your chest. Don't dry off either stay wet. Then let your ears out and pretend to be cleaning them as you look in the mirroror drying your hair. I bet he will jump on you, begging you to mate right then."

"Oh my god! That's Lai Guanlin!"

"And that's Park Jihoon, my hero!"

The three turned to the shrieking humans approaching them at a full out run, their excited voices echoing around the studio. It was Jaehwan and Sungwoon, who were apparently fanboys. They shook their hands and then squealed some more like excited little girls at an Exo high-touch event. Jihoon and Guanlin seemed overwhelmed but flattered. The humans talked about how they had bought every magazine that came out with a spread or an interview of them and regularly followed their instagram accounts. They said that the models were some of the most talented, handsomest people they had ever seen. They even knew about their time as rising basketball stars and how the two had started dating, even supporting their relationship. Seongwoo merely chuckled, happy to see them all getting along so well. He had never thought that Guanlin and Jihoon were actually famous enough that his human friends would know about them.

"You're so handsome, seriously. People in Taiwan must have treated you like a deity," Sungwoon commented as Guanlin signed his t-shirt after Jihoon had.

"You just became my favorite fan," Guanlin grinned wide from ear to ear, puffing up his chest so he seemed nearly twice as tall as Sungwoon.

"I think that you have the most incredible ability to change your facial expressions. Can you send me one of your awesome winks just once?" Jaehwan asked Jihoon when he was finished signing his shirt next to Guanlin's signature.

Jihoon looked at Guanlin as if asking for permisson. He smiled and nodded. "They're big fans. You definitely got to do some service."

Jihoon looked at Jaehwan with a sweet smile. Guanlin covered his face and then lifted his hand. When the hand was gone, he was smling wide and winked at Jaehwan nice and slow.

Jaehwan blushed, smiled wide, and clutched his chest. Sungwoon covered his mouth, his eyes wide and his ears turning pink like steam was about to come out.

Seongwoo looked over towards the set where Daniel had taken Jisung and Minhwan to meet the two models just coming off set. Daniel very awkwardly shook Jinyoung's hand and gave Daehwi a slightly less awkward half hug. They had talked a few times on shoots but he knew they were more friendly acquaintances than friends and he had some idea why. Jinyoung and Daehwi didn't interact that much with humans outside of necessary business deals. 

Daniel introduced Jisung. Jisung and Minhyun kindly shook their hands but didn't seem to know the models. Jaehwan and Sungwoon on the other hand had heen watching them in awe earlier, apparently waiting for them to get done.

"Oh, Bae Jinyoung and Lee Daehwi took a break from the shoot!"

"Let's go get their signatures on our shirts too. We're going to frame these, alright? We will never wear or wash them again!" 

"No, never. Not even if Min threatens me with sex only once a week~!"

Jaehwan and Sungwoon took off, leaving the other two surprised and chuckling in amusement.

"Yeah, you're right. They're funny," Jihoon said and Guanlin nodded his head cooly, putting his hands back into his pockets.

Seongwoon giggled behind his hand, gazing at the rambunctious pair. "That's just the start. Wait until you see them all together." 

They watched as Jaehwan and Sungwoon fawned over the startled and overwhelmed model pair. 

Seongwoo told them about the sexual education talk and the time they had studied together, exaggerating the funny moments a bit while acting out their dialogue and imitating their voices.

"Wah, I think our little Seongwoo could be on TV. He's really good at imitating and acting."

"Yeah, I could totally see you in a drama. Preferrably an adult one with bed scenes..." He seemed like he was going to add more but a chilly, narrowed look from Jihoon caused him to trail off into silence.

"I can dance a bit too! Just popping. I am going to start learning from Daniel soon," Seongwoo said proudly.

Well, that was all just a part of his plan and a side hobby. He wanted to use his acting and dancing abilities to make Daniel smile and be more attracted to him. He was starting to watch videos of gags and sexy dances he was planning to surprise Daniel with later when the correct time came about. 

"Oh, Jihoon is pretty good at popping too. He went to a dance school for awhile as exercise helps relieve minor heat wave symptoms as well."

"I can't be better than Daniel. He was in a dance crew," Jihoon replied bashfully, scratching at the back of his head.

Jihoon then suggested they all group together and see just how funny the humans were. Him and Guanlin seemed excited to make new friends and hang out with fans that showered them in compliments and practically worshipped them. Seongwoo personally didn't like that too much at least when it came from female fans of his which were always increasing in number. Some at school had even found out about his modeling job and waited to come in. Luckily, his manager was fierce and strong. Daniel was excellent at blocking them if they tried to touch them and often covered his face so it wouldn't appear on their pictures.

"Hey guys!" Seongwoo brightly greeted Jinyoung and Daehwi.

They waved to him and smiled warmly well Jinyoung was more awkward slightly.

"Now you've met all of Daniel's friends. I hope they're being nice." 

Sungwoon and Jaehwan stood up properly and smiled as if they had been scolded by professor Seongwoo.

"They've made fools of themselves as usual. Sorry they have always been a bit eccentric and you know..." Daniel explained apologetically with a finger spinning around his temple.

They looked offended and like they were going to cut their younger friend down for speaking rudely of their hyungs. 

Daehwi jumped, in waving his hands. "No, we love meeting fans. We don't have many and even rarer have chances to meet them. Actually, I was just thanking them for taking an interest in us. It's rare people actually know our names. They usually just look at us quizzically and comment that they were sure they had seen our faces somewhere. It's nice to be actually recognised and not have to introduce ourselves fully."

"Yeah, I agree. Is there something more we can do for your support? A picture or something?" Jinyoung asked, attempting to smile kindly yet coming off a bit shy.

The two fanboys squealed and wildly slapped at each others hands. Their boyfriends shook their heads with looks of embarrassed disbelief but they didn't attempt to scold or stop them because it was futile with their personalities. They all took pictures together, even a group photo with the ten of them. 

Then, Jaehwan requested Jihoon teach him  how to wink. Sungwoon commented how envious he was of Guanlin's cool, manly looks and his height. He requested Guanlin teach him how to act. Then they went to their boyfriends and turned on the charm.

"How is it? Don't you just want to take me home and strip me?" Sungwoon struck a cool sexy pose to entice Jisung but it was way too over the top erotic it would need a mosaic. 

Jisung covered his face as it turned red and scolded him harshly for his indecent behavior.

"Nice~ I like you. I would have done the same thing! What was your name again? I suck at Korean names, honestly..." Guanlin clapped hands with Sungwoon and gave him a manly kind of hug. 

They clicked because they were slightly perverted and liked to tease their shy lovers. They started sharing dirty jokes and then discussed the best positions to reach the prostate spot. Of course, Seongwoo asked what that was. The boys shared a look and wicked smirks, snickering.

"Oh god, you are never allowed to hang out with those two without supervision, Seongwoo," Daniel covered his ears and led them in the other direction. 

Jihoon was giving an extensive winking lesson to Jaehwan using Minhyun as an experimental victim. Jihoon would instruct him what kind of wink to do from behind Minhyun. Then, Jaehwan would follow his demonstration. Minhyun would act cool and serious and then they would judge the level of impact. Jisung was talking about something with Daehwi and Jinyoung that was hopefully not related to himself Seongwoo hoped.

"Cute wink."

"Fresh wink."

"Now a sexy wink."

Jaehwan followed what Jihoon did as best he could but everything had an old greasy kind of spin to it that just seemed funny.

"Oh, that one worked. I just felt my heart flutter a bit~" Minhyun exclaimed in surprise, touching his chest and pretending to fall backwards. 

Jaehwan started cheering and doing some ridiculous looking dance with lots of swinging limbs. They all laughed at the two's over reactions and then some more as Jaehwan exploded into his psychotic laughter.

"I have an idea. We're all free after Guanlin and Jihoon finish their shoot. Why don't we go out and do something fun?" Daehwi suggested. 

They all together and excitedly brought up something fun and cheap that ten people could do together last minute. They ended up going with Jihoon's idea, an amusement park, when they found out Seongwoo hadn't not only been to one he didn't even know what one was.

"Okay okay, let's go, come on!" Jaehwan shouted and started to skip away.

"Ah, this dummy!" Minhyun sighed and shook his head before running after Jaehwan. 

Minhyun caught him just before he had left the building, not even realizing no one had followed him. He came back, towing the shorter guy under his arm and playfully ruffling his hair.

"Aigoo, are you a goldish? They just said after the shoot. We have to wait a bit," he scolded gently while smiling with amusement. 

Jaehwan is such a cute kid but sometimes he really tires me out, he thought. They all laughed and teased Jaehwan for being too enthusiastic when Minhyun drug him back. He apologized and promised to listen better, seeming humiliated. None of his human friends believed him a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not really sure what to say about this chapter. It's long and full of a bunch of fluffy, comical nonsense. The last few chapters were just too serious, even if the last one ended happily. I wanted not to have super intense emotions here. Just here for you to feel the friendships between these ten boys. I know, I know, Woojin's not here but he's not a model so it doesn't make much sense for him to be. He will be coming up several chapters from now, mainly just in relation to Daniel and Seongwoo's family drama(yes, that is the second angsty arc coming up down the road, Seongwoo's father will be coming up). I hope that you enjoyed the various interactions going on and all of that Ongniel jealousy and little couple moments plus side-ships happening. I love the idea of Ongniel being possessive each other in a cute, comical, very open sort of way. Especially I can picture Seongwoo wishing to jump on Daniel in real life and say to the other members, "Mine!" hehe. But Seongwoo is a kind kid in real life so he probably would just keep that to himself~
> 
> Thank you guys so much! Recently I feel like this story gets so many comments from you on every chapter, I'm surprised when I see they keep coming in several days after I posted. I'm not sure if it's better than my other story or you just have lots more to say because there's actual plot here not related to them being singers? I guess that could be it. I feel really inspired to continue with this story and write better, longer chapters because you guys have shown so much enthusiasm and support to me through this endeavor. I really appreciate it. I hope you will keep finding the time to leave a little comment here and there. Really, I read and try to respond to everything. Sorry if it takes a bit of time since I'm juggling work, married life, and three stories now. Your comments give me the energy I need to keep going, it's like my life support!


	27. Adventures of Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys go on a group date to an amusement park. Seongwoo learns better from Daniel's friends about how to be a good boyfriend. He also learns more about the others, including the love story behind the other couples.

While the others stayed behind to watch the rest of the shoot, Daniel and Seongwoo slipped out for a bit with the excuse to buy a phone. Daniel hugged him when they got away from the building aways.

"Ah, finally we're alone~" he sighed with relief, squeezing him tight.

Seongwoo snuggled up closer to him and hugged his thick waist. "Hmm, it's nice..."

"Seongwoo, let's earn lots of money and get a place of our own," Daniel suggested.

Seongwoo nodded eagerly. "I would like that. But you should finish school first."

"I'm no good at it though... Maybe I should just quit and get some random full time job. I don't care about working at some fancy company."

"Well, if it's what you want, I support it 100%."

"Wah, what did I ever do to meet someone so perfect?" Daniel murmured, holding his face and looking at him with a sweet warm smile.

Seongwoo smiled wide. "I could say the same."

They held hands and took a leisurely, romantic stroll through a nearby trail covered with colorful maple and ginko leaves.

When they got to the phone store Daniel was more excited than Seongwoo, who would be getting a phone. He reminded Seongwoo of some kids in the town at a toy store. He was attracted to everything big, colorful, and shiny, rattling on about their special abilities. Seongwoo didn't understand much of it. He was still foreign to how these magical notebooks worked.

"How about this one? It's the newest with the most advanced features. It's also light and the screen is large so it's easy to watch things. Try it out."

Seongwoo held the large metal golden square in his hands curiously. It felt cool, smooth, and surprisingly light compared to others he had held.

"This is the first time seeing one, right? You might have difficulties working it. Well, first you want to..."

Daniel was left speechless as he expertly touched the screen, opening it to the home page. He searched something on the internet, checked the video, and took a picture of them quick. He had grown used to operating the magical box Daniel had and this one had the same layout so he had no issues using it.

Daniel was looking between him and the phone with his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

"How do you know how to do all of that?" He eventually stuttered out.

Seongwoo shrugged coolly. "I used your tablet often while you're gone."

"Ah, that explains the picture inside there then. Wait, did you open any files? See any videos?"

"Yeah, I saw most of the movies you have in there."

Daniel turned tomato red, chewing on his lip and tapping his toe anxiously on the floor as he looked down. "You didn't possible see, hmm...any of the movies in the...um, file called mocking jay, did you?"

Seongwoo pushed the phone into his chest and laughed. "Maybe~ Why? Something there I shouldn't have seen?" He teased.

Daniel groaned, grabbing onto his head and dropping to his knees in utter despair and humiliation. "Sorry, Seongwoo. I will delete everything. Don't think badly of me. They're mostly from high school. I don't even watch them anymore!"

Seongwoo chuckled and raised an eyebrow at him, knowing differently. He always took that tablet to the bathroom when he relieved himself of the 'horny' sickness.

"Okay, so you know I'm lying obviously. That was stupid of me. Sorry, don't be angry or disgusted please." He pouted and rubbed his hands together with puppy eyes.

"Why would I be? I heard lots of humans watch those."

"Oh, well that's true..."

"So if it's normal in your country then I don't mind. Besides it doesn't seem like something bad anyway. I like them."

Daniel stood up with a surprised smile. "You do? Oh, that's a relief~"

"It's a natural act."

"True. But still, I have you now. So, I won't watch them. Usually humans only watch it when they're lonely and single. When you're dating then people get jealous."

"Why would people get jealous of you watching a movie with actors doing something natural?" Seongwoo wandered out loud, furrowing his brow in puzzlement.

Daniel pressed there with his finger. Like magic, it was released from wrinkles and Seongwoo broke into a sweet, bright smile.

"I don't know either. Maybe because we both have never been in a relationship before."

Seongwoo was tempted to say they should watch it together the next time he went into the bathroom to 'relieve' himself and Daniel could teach him how. Then, they could see why it would make the other party in a relationship jealous, and if maybe they were just a special case. However, he lost the courage to at the last minute and asked him something else instead about what people did at an amusement park that made everyone excited. On their way back, Daniel told him about his experiences with rides at the amusement park. They stopped at the park to take pictures with the colorful trees and playfully throw and kick around some leaves.

 

 

The four shifters, ex shifter and five humans were extremely excited when they got to the amusement park. They stopped just past the entrance and discussed, or more like argued, where to go first.

"Gotta eat first."

"Gotta be roller coaster."

"Headbands!"

"Haunted house sounds cool."

"Spinning rides."

"Dropping rides. Those take the longest to wait in line for."

"Hot dog sounds nice. I'm starving."

Seongwoo stood in the circle, looking back and forth as the boys noisily voiced their opinions and argued the reasoning why. It was good to see they had all started to become close in record time. They had just met a couple hours ago though. On the bus and the studio, they had all been chatting noisily about all sorts of things. Since they were gay men of similar ages that was probably how they were able to feel close even if they were different species.

The shifters had lived much longer in the human world so they could discuss about events and popular culture like celebrities, movies, news, TV shows, and such. Seongwoo, on the contrary, could barely follow the conversations. Daniel sat next to him, silently listening to the conversations with a small, content smile, his arm wrapped casually around Seongwoo's shoulders. Sometimes he would comment but mostly he would just laugh. He was such a happy virus.

Now that their issues were all solved, Daniel was able to go back to how he was normally, laughing at anything and everything. Seongwoo only wished he could understand more of what was going on. Sometimes he would poke Daniel in his squishy side and request him to explain what was funny when the guys were really rattled about something. However, for the most part, there were so many things he didn't know that he didn't know where to start.

Daniel told him it was okay if he didn't know anything yet and reassured that he would keep him up on Korea's popular culture and over the years living in their world he would catch on to it like the other shifters had. That made him feel comforted knowing that it took time and Daniel was going to help him. He still didn't like seeming ignorant, so he made notes in his mind of certain things to look up.

Eventually, they decided their course based on the human way of ultimate, unquestionable decision-making.

"Rock scissors paper! Paper! Paper!"

Eventually the games ended and the first thing was headbands, then eating, then viking, then roller coaster, then a drop ride, and last the haunted house. Seongwoo only knew what two of those were as no one explained in detail, so he just went along with their plan. Daniel grabbed his arm and led him around, stuck close to his side like lint on velcro. Seongwoo blushed from the close contact. Daniel caught sight of his tinted face and shy smile and reassured him.

"I'm not saying we can be like this in every public place, but here it's dangerous. You could get lost or kidnapped by some old perv in a clown costume. So, I want you to stick next to me and never let my hand go, hmm?"

Seongwoo squeezed his hand tight and smiled at him brightly. If that was the case, he wished they could come here often.

"Okay, I will never let you go!"

Daniel chuckled. "Never say never. We can't be together all the time," he said seriously.

Seongwoo pouted, wondering why he had to kill the mood and be a 'buzzkill' as Jisung called it. He could also be such a 'negative nelly' as Jaehwan put it. Then, his face split into a wide grin, making his dimples pop out and warm brown eyes nearly disappear behind the fatty lids. It was so unbelievably cute and it made Seongwoo's heart skip several beats.

"We can't go to the bathroom together~"

"Wah, Kang Daniel, you dirty kiddo!" Seongwoo chided him, playfully smacking his chest, something he learned from how Jisung acted with Sungwoon.

If a guy you liked said something strange and inappropriate, that's what you should do instead of getting angry or staring coldly he learned through observation of the couple. That was a kind of flirting that would build your relationship, some magazine had also stated. Daniel was doing lame jokes to make him laugh so Seongwoo always had to laugh at them and scold him in a playful way with an overreaction. That was his duty.

As soon as Seongwoo dropped his mouth open and laughed and smacked him, Daniel laughed brightly, smiling like he was immensely proud of himself. He clearly bought and loved Seongwoo's reactions. Well, his acting skills really were coming in handy. Anything to make his dorky mate happy, even if sometimes Daniel really wasn't very funny.

 

 

They followed at the back of the noisily chatting, giggling group, watching over with content smiles as their friends continued to hit it off amazingly well on their way to the first destination, the gift store. It was as if they had been friends for years already instead of moments. Minhyun had his arms around Jinyoung and Daehwi. Jisung was chatting and goofing around with Jihoon. Sungwoon, Guanlin, and Jaehwan were obviously sharing in some ridiculous, likely perverted, childish story that caused them to fall over each other with laughter and clap enthusiastically like a pack of seals.

They crowded in to the store and went around until they found the headbands. There was an entire aisle of ears, ribbons, and miniature hats or monsters to choose from.

Daniel asked Seongwoo what he liked and he insisted that Daniel choose since he'd never worn them before. Seongwoo was thinking that humans must really often have animal kinks seeing there were ears for tons of different kinds of animals. Daniel scratched his hair as he looked between Seongwoo and the display. Daniel tried on him various headbands and shook his head at each one. Eventually, he settled on a pair of cat ears that had a similar color and shape to his real ones.

He leaned in to whisper after gently slipping them on his head so as not to mess up his styled hair that Jisung had done before they left. "Your ears are way better. I can't wait to see them again. And this time I want to try a bit more...deep form of kissing," he whispered in a husky, seductive tone that sent a heat wave crashing through his body.

His face heated and he grinned, holding back a slight pleasurful groan. What was this feeling? His heat waves were gradually starting to feel less painful and bothersome. He oddly liked the milder ones, they made him feel tingly and warm in a pleasant, exciting way.

Daniel looked at him in the same way he imagined his face appeared. Red with bashfulness, a shy, amused, secretively flirty smile, and eyes full of desire to be alone and kiss right now.

"How does it look?"

They were interrupted by Minhyun who was going around asking everyone if he looked pretty in the headband with long tan fox ears. Seongwoo pushed his fingers into the other's pale cheeks since he was right in front of him.

"Very pretty," he replied with a giggle.

Daniel was quick to interrupt as ever when Seongwoo was interacting with Minhyun. He didn't care about others, just Minhyun and Guanlin for some reason. Though Seongwoo thought they were really nice, sweet guys so he didn't see why Daniel wouldn't let them be friends. Seongwoo couldn't stay miffed for long though as Daniel turned an excited smile at him.

"Yes yes, very pretty. Now go pick one out for Jaehwan. You know he will choose the stupidest looking one if you don't catch him soon."

Then he turned back to his lover with a bucktoothed grin. "Seongwoo, choose one for me. If I was a shifter, what kind would I be? Like what's my spirit animal?"

"Spirit animal, psh~ Next thing you know you're going to ask to meet Santa and the tooth fairy..." Seongwoo commented with rolling eyes.

"Those are real?" The human gasped with childish delight.

"No, they aren't, you dum dum. No spirit animals either," Seongwoo playfully bopped him on the head with his sleeve covered hand.

Then, he turned and looked around, humming in thought for what ears would be perfect to match Daniel's looks and personality. "Ah!" He confidently reached for a big white pair of ears resembling a wolf or a big mountain dog.

"Perfect! You would definitely be a big white dog!"

Daniel pouted as he put them on. Seongwoo giggled at how much cuter he was. It suited him perfectly.

"Why a dog? I don't like being thought of as cute. Can't I be something cool, strong, and fierce like a lion or a tiger or a shark?"

Seongwoo giggled again and grabbed his cheeks, pulling and stretching them like he was made of puddy.

"Because you have puppy eyes."

"I do?" Daniel laughed. "I thought that was something Jisung just made up."

"Nope they're a real thing. You have the prettiest, warmest, heart melting puppy eyes. They're impossible to resist."

Daniel gave a wicked smirk and tapped his fingers like an evil mastermind. He cocked one eyebrow and laughed rather evily. "Woo hoo hoo hoo, I will have to remember that."

Maybe I shouldn't have told him that. Oh well, I'm confident my kitten eyes will win over his puppy eyes.

Minhyun chose some white tiger ears for Jaehwan. Guanlin and Jihoon wore white and gray rabbits. Jinyoung and Daehwi were a monkey and bumble bee. Sungwoon and Jisung were giraffes complete with horns.

"Okay okay come on..." Jaehwan started and paused.

"Let's go!"

The rest of the group finished the English catch phrase even Seongwoo had memorized. Daniel had taught him what it meant and how to pronounce it. Those words were something Jaehwan seemed to say often if his memory served him right.

 

 

The next stop the group, just as noisy now equipped with fun accessories, made was to get food. Seongwoo had a difficult time choosing what to eat.

"Let's just get some of everything guys and share!" Daniel suggested for his sake.

Seongwoo gave him a grateful hug. For the hundredth time in his life, he thought his mate was truly the epitome of perfection. The food came out in little cups and they were given toothpicks to stab it with. Seongwoo was grateful for anything but chopsticks because he was still rather clumsy with them.

Jinyoung and Daehwi were gently feeding each other. Minhyun, Jaehwan, Sungwoon, and Jisung were joking around feeding each other but playing around with the food like stretching it out of reach or removing it at the last second. Daniel blew on some red ddokpokki and fed him gently. Seongwoo had his mouth full of his favorite food available at the stand, kangjang chicken. Seongwoo in turn stuffed a few pieces in the other's mouth in quick succession. Daniel really did have a big mouth he could fit a lot in he had observed before.

"Thanks. Yummy?"

"Really yummy!"

"Good."

They spoke with their mouths full. Then, they went around taking bites from the others like they were in some kind of speed eating contest. Jisung was the first to get full, so he grabbed napkins from the vender and went around wiping their mouths with care. When they were full, they dumped the trash, thanked the vendor for the delicious grub, and headed for the first ride on the list.

The line wasn't long but it was getting dark and the air became chilly. They started jumping up and down, running in place or huddling together to keep warm. Daniel kept insisting he wasn't cold. But he was only wearing a sweater with no jacket. Seongwoo and Minhyun covered his front and back with their jackets when he got caught shivering slightly.

The Viking was a ride that really spiked Seongwoo's curiosity. It was a huge ship that swung on these giant poles. The people sat inside it with only a metal bar over their laps as it rocked back and forth almost to the point it appeared it would flip and getting faster.

He started to shake with nervous excitement. He had never been on something that was so big and moving out of his control. The most adventurous things he had been on were a car, a bike, and a skateboard and they had all terrified them at first.

Daniel sensed his uneasiness and read his expression carefully. "Don't worry. It's a safe ride. It will feel scary at first but you will love it in the middle I think. It won't fly off, I promise. I've been on this a hundred times in my life," he assured.

When it was their turn, they all went to the back two rows. Seongwoo sat between Jinyoung and Daniel. Jinyoung didn't seem phased at all. He actually looked like he was about to drift off to sleep waiting for the ride to start.

Daniel smiled at him comfortingly and held his hand. "It's going to be okay. If you're scared, just hold my hand tight. Unless you guys have some killer super strength you didn't tell me about?"

Seongwoo giggled, feeling his nerves release a bit. "No, I think that particular ability skipped my gene pool."

Daniel burst out laughing, stomping his feet. "Now you're using words like gene pool? You've become a nerd, Ong Seongwoo."

"Don't you like that though? Me sounding smart and you not having to explain everything all the time?"

Daniel squeezed his hand tickled his stomach so his pout would turn into a grin. "First of all, I don't mind explaining something to you. At least I don't have to awkwardly fumble up a lame conversation starter which I am usually terrible at by the way. Second of all, you being a nerd is kind of sort of extremely hot which gives us a number of problems."

"Doesn't sound like a problem to me. It sounds like an idea. How about I buy glasses?" He suggested teasingly with a smirk.

Daniel sucked in a sharp breath and bit his lip, groaning with his eyes shut as if he was in pain.

"Please don't torture me with that image..." He begged in a low tone.

Jisung pat Seongwoo's shoulders from behind. "Don't feel embarrassed if you get scared, Ong. No one is going to scream more than me. I'm terrible at rides."

Minhyun leaned over and whispered in his ear. "Jaehwan too. Don't be shocked too much by his scream laugh. You might want to cover your ears just in case."

Seongwoo was going to ask them both to elaborate a bit more when the giant ship started to move.

"Oh, it's going going going!" Voices all around him said excitedly.

Seongwoo gripped Daniel's hand and the iron bar over his lap as it swung backwards slowly and forwards slowly. He grit his teeth, holding back a nervous squeal in anticipation of it going higher and faster.

"If you shout, you will actual feel better. Especially when your stomach starts turning, I suggest you let it all out," Daniel called over the wind.

He actually enjoyed it after he let out a little bit of a cheerful shout when it went backwards and down a bit higher. The wind felt cool on his face which was refreshing and he could see some of the park which was lit up with bright colored lights and fall decorations.

As it got higher though, others started to shout for real when they went down. Jisung and Daehwi let out the screams with the highest pitch, reminding Seongwoo of a dolphin. Sungwoon and Guanlin were cheering randomly, apparently loving the thrill. Minhyun was just going 'woah woah woah' a lot. Daniel was half laughing half shouting in his deep dorky tone. Jinyoung was actually smiling brightly like it was the time of his life.

Jaehwan was louder than everybody. He was laughing yet screaming hysterically in a way that he had seen only in horror films. Seongwoo was almost terrified by the sound and his ears did hurt as Minhyun had warned since the guy was right behind him. However, he was too terrified of slipping out of the seat somehow so he was gripping tightly to the bar and Daniel and pushing his body hard into the seat just in case there was some accident. His ears stung but he didn't dare try to cover them.

When they got off the ride, they were all red faced, their hair was a mess, and they had trouble walking straight. Daniel suddenly started walking sideways, dragging along Seongwoo with him since they were still holding hands. Luckily, some of the others caught a hold of him before Daniel could cause them both to topple onto the cement.

"Sorry, Seongwoo. That made me pretty dizzy. How about you?"

Seongwoo was having a hard time walking straight and standing still himself, so he thought that feeling must be the dizzy word he's talking about. They went to a bench and sat down until the reeling in their bodies stopped. Daniel as usual tried to take care of him though he was worse off.

 

 

The next ride they went to was called a roller coaster ride. It had this metal track that spun, swirled, and flipped through the air in a crazy mess of squiggly signs Seongwoo couldn't keep track of. They had to ride in these open top carts that hooked to the tracks. He didn't understand how they could move so fast and not fall off though. Daniel tried to explain but the mechanics went way over his head.

Before they got on the roller coaster, they split into two competing teams, one for keeping their eyes open on the roller coaster and another for singing a song without shouting. The losers would have to do some punishment decided by the other team members. The roller coaster proved difficult for many people to handle, for the shifters with their hightened senses especially.

The cuter, sweeter shifters Seongwoo, Jihoon, and Daehwi were given the punishment of writing their names in the air with their bottoms. They were humiliated to do it but eventually had fun with it and added cute sound effects and gestures that made the other guys applaud, chuckle, and compliment them. Jinyoung and Guanlin had to do a random dance.

Daniel lastly was especially given a special punishment from his hyungs since they were close. He had to get flicked on the forehead by the strongest person which was Sungwoon. He held up his hair as Sungwoon pulled back his middle finger and released it with a heavy, horrifying sound that made them all wince and shout. Daniel merely laughed in disbelief, his forehead sprouting a diagonal red line right in the middle. Seongwoo worriedly rubbed and kissed over the spot, hoping to relieve the pain somehow. He could only imagine how excruciating that was.

 

 

The last ride they went on was a very popular one to ride on at night. It was a circle of dangling open seats that went up some humongous pole and dropped suddenly at a rapid speed. Seongwoo gulped as he heard the people screaming at the top of their lungs the whole way down and even after that stopped. Then, it went back up quickly and dropped again about half the distance. It looked pretty intimidating.

They had to wait in a long line so while they were waiting there were lots of random talks going on. Daehwi came over with Jinyoung in tow, their arms comfortably linked. They asked about their whole love story since they had no secrets between them anymore. It was quite different from each person's perspective. Seongwoo started his story from the woods and Daniel continued on from the library.

"Aw~ so sweet, so romantic, too funny" Daehwi added commentary here and there to their short little romantic comedy.

The couple flushed and squeezed each other affectionately. It was strange reliving their romance outloud but it also made them feel closer. Their story was quite sweet, natural, and amusing with just a hint of drama. Somehow, they liked now that they hadn't fell in love in any sort of normal way.

"I want to hear about your stories too. How did two different shifter species become friends and grow close enough to even mate?" Seongwoo asked curiously.

He wanted to know Guanlin and Jihoon's story some time too but they were currently talking to the group with mostly humans.

"Well, I liked to play in the river behind our village in the mountains. Jinyoung liked to hunt for food there and nap in the sun. His village was on the other side. They all knew of each other and were on good terms."

"One day when I was napping on a rock I grew careless. I rolled in my sleep and slipped in to the river. I can't swim well and the current was strong. Daehwi saved me from drowning."

"Then, I gave him a long lecture about the dangers of sleeping near a river, of course."

"I got defensive. We argued. We had a big childish fight."

"I threw him in the river and then had to save him again. I apologized for my immature behavior. He apologized for being idiotically rude to his savior. We became friends."

"I met Daehwi often at the river even after the accident happened and I returned home. He was my best friend and the only one who listened to me and tried to understand what I was going through. He helped me through the outcasting and grief."

"Then, one day I confessed I liked him. I had liked him for a long time but I thought he could only like humans."

"And I asked if he had gone crazy and how he could like a handicap he had no future with and that would cause his tribe to shun him."

"And I said I didn't care if we had to run away and live as humans. I just needed him, more than anyone in my tribe. So that's what we did. We couldn't be happier since that decision. There's no place for us in our villages. People are so close minded and cruel. How was yours? The same, I presume?"

Seongwoo decided simply to skirt the topic of his father, the hate group, and the tragedies and bullying he'd ensured at the hands of his kin. "Let's just say I have no desire to go back. It's the same."

Daniel have him a look of concern. He knew a little bit of the darkness behind his story but he didn't yet know the extent of the bullying, out casting, and physical pain he had suffered at the hands of his relatives and other cat shifters. He certainly didn't know about his mother's murder... Seongwoo wanted to tell him someday, but this wasn't the proper time and place.

"Guanlin's story is pretty sweet. I will sneak him over here to cheer you up," Daehwi caught on to the gloomy atmosphere caused by the dark secrets Seongwoo wasn't willing to share yet, and hurried to fix it as there was no point in shifters focusing on dwelling on the unhappy parts of their pasts.

They needed to take only the good memories and then focus fully on being happy and doing all they wanted that had been restricted from in their villages in the current. Guanlin came over.

"What's up? You called me? You missed me, huh, Seongwoo? Told you this guy is boring."

Guanlin strutted over with a confident, mischievous smirk that made his kohl rimmed eyes sparkle in a more devilishly handsome way. Daniel pulled Seongwoo to stand farther away from Guanlin, glaring at him.

"Woah, down doggie. Be a good boy now~" Guanlin laughed and pat the top of the slightly shorter blond guy's head in a condescending, gentle way.

Daniel swatted his hand away. "I am seriously warning you, but if you ever lay a finger on Seongwoo in any sort of too friendly manner I will break them."

"Oh~ I'm so scared~" he replied mockingly, pretending to shiver.

Seongwoo gave them both a playful, stern look that they should stop now so they did.

"Guanlin, I was curious about how you and Jihoon met."

He clapped his hands and cheered. "Good question. That is a very cute romantic story that will leave you in a puddle of greasy honey and butter. Prepared?"

"Just get on with it, you egoistic prick..." Daniel muttered under his breath but the shifters' stellar senses all picked it up clear as a bell.

Guanlin then explained that him and Jihoon had met at an international basketball tournament. They had both been disguising themselves as humans while staying with a family of ex shifters and humans attending a human school. They both had fallen in love with basketball. They were on opposite teams but recognized each other as shifters right away. They didn't have a chance to talk privately since they were in the middle of a game surrounded by humans who didn't know of their existence.

Somewhere in the game, Jihoon and Guanlin were sort of playfully scrimmaging. Jihoon ended up twisting his ankle as he tried to get the ball away from the much taller player. Guanlin didn't care about the game after that. They replaced them and Guanlin went with Jihoon to the hospital, concerned that he may need some help if the doctors and the technology revealed something.

Luckily, their human forms were a good disguise. Jihoon had good senses and reflexes but other than that he had appeared as a normal human. Guanlin was taking care of his ankle and bringing him everything he needed. The issue was that they didn't speak the same language. They tried to communicate through the little English Jihoon knew. 

Guanlin stayed in the hospital with him, playing games, watching movies, and bringing him snacks and things to keep him amused from the nearby market for several days. They couldn't speak the language but they grew immensely close and attracted to each other during that time. Enough that when it came time for his team to return to their country, Guanlin simply messaged them he wasn't going back.

From then on, Guanlin had lived with Jihoon. It wasn't long before Guanlin confessed to Jihoon. He gave him roses and a couple ring at Namsan Tower under a meteor shower and they had their first kiss there under the streaking stars.

"Aw, so romantic! I love hearing it every time~" Daehwi clapped his hands.

At some point in the story, Jinyoung had back hugged him and Daehwi had snuggled up against him, his eyes tearing up.

"What do you think of that sort of thing, Seongwoo?" Daniel asked curiously, eying him for a similar reaction.

Seongwoo shrugged. "Not sure what's romantic about roses. They make me sneeze."

The others chuckled. He made a mental note that Seongwoo didn't like receiving roses.

"Kissing under the stars is romantic. Too bad we missed our chance twice," he pouted, looking at Daniel almost accusingly.

Oh that's right, one time they had only done treatment pecks at the river and on the cruise they had been interrupted by the crowd of people coming out to see the fireworks.

"Dammit," he muttered.

Two chances he accidentally made to have a romantic first confession Seongwoo would have loved yet he missed out and instead did it at a norebang with some stupid chocolate cake.

"I'm sorry I'm a shitty romantic..." He said sincerely with a pout.

"I will do better in the future. I will do research and plan something really romantic for Christmas."

Seongwoo hugged him and pressed their foreheads together. Daniel blushed at the intimate, obvious display of affection in public. Even if they were surrounded by gay friends, it still felt really embarrassing and wrong. He wondered if he would ever stop feeling that way. He really wished it was possible. Darn his stupid complex from the bullying that always seemed to haunt him and get in the way of his happiness. Having a lover was gradually helping him get over and causing the scars to fade but it wasn't fast enough in his opinion.

 

 

The last ride they went on ended up being the most terrifying of all. They all screamed bloody murder as they flew straight down and when they got off they all felt queasy. They swore they would never go on that ride again.

They took a rest at a cafe with some outdoor tables. They got some cold drinks to calm their nerves and uneasy stomachs. Jihoon and Daehwi were not feeling well. Guanlin and Jinyoung put the cold drink on their foreheads or held it to up their mouths to drink, holding them around the shoulder and patting them in concern.

Seongwoo observed them carefully, learning how to properly care for a sick person from them. Daniel was resting his head on his arms with his eyes closed. Seongwoo rubbed his back gently, worried again about his lack of a jacket. It was even colder than earlier. He took off his jacket and draped it over his shoulders. Daniel smiled and slightly opened his sleepy looking eyes.

"Thanks, but you will be cold."

"I'm not, really. Here, drink this. It will help you wake up."

He held the coffee carefully to his lips and Daniel took the straw into his mouth. He sucked hard and took half the drink into his mouth within seconds. Seongwoo smiled, feeling proud of himself for being a good boyfriend.

 

 

Before they went into the haunted house, Guanlin and Jisung took Seongwoo aside to give him some advice. They said that he could make progress with Daniel by pretending to be scared and clinging to him for protection. They showed an example when Seongwoo wasn't immediately getting it.

Jihoon fake screamed and shivered, cuddling up to Guanlin and hugging him tight. "Lin Lin, I'm scawed~ don't let me go~"

In response, Guanlin acted like a tough guy, holding him closer and standing tall.

"Stay with me Ji Ji. Close your eyes. I won't let any monster get you, don't worry," he reassured in a cool manly fashion, holding out his hand like he would shield or fight off any being about to come their way lurking in the shadows.

Jisung snorted as soon as he saw it and realized what the lesson was all about. "Yeah, I wouldn't expect that kind of cool romantic scene from Daniel. I think the rolls need to be reversed," he commented with a snicker.

"Hmm, what do you mean?" Seongwoo asked curiously.

"Oh, you will see. He's a huge chicken."

"Chicken? Isn't that you?" He pointed at Guanlin.

Guanlin shrugged. "I don't speak Korean well so I don't have the foggiest clue what he means."

When they went inside the worn down, darkened mansion with broken windows and cobwebs, they walked in a line with their hands on each other at first. When they were inside, there was a dark, chilly hallway. They could barely see anything except some white arrows directing them where to go. Occasionally there was lighting but it was an eerie blue color and flashed sporadically. When things started popping out at them from the walls or corners, the group became chaotic and got separated.

Sungwoon was having fun trying to scare the others and Jisung, predicting where and when monsters jumped out. He laughed the most when he got Jisung to jump at nothing. All he had to do was act startled and Jisung would scream and run or hide behind him. When he found out he got tricked again, Jisung would hit and yell at him to knock it off, sounding like he was on the verge of tears.

Every time that Minhyun and Jaehwan got scared, Jaehwan would let out a psycho laugh, which made them all more frightened and on edge. Minhyun bickered with him to stop but he indicated he couldn't control it. The others were terrified more because of it, so they yelled at him to stop.

Daehwi was clinging to Jinyoung with his eyes closed, crying for his mom. Jinyoung tried to navigate them both through it, singing some foreign lullaby to calm and distract the terrified, crying shifter. Guanlin and Jihoon were long gone. As soon as the first monster came, they shouted and dashed. With their outstanding athletic ability that had improved a lot with their basketball days, they were likely at the exit, already wondering what was taking the others so long.

Seongwoo would have found this all amusing if he wasn't also scared. But he was more scared because of the way Daniel reacted than anything inside. The human jumped, shouted, hit things, and clung to him at everything, even the sound of another person stepping or the slight squeak of a door. He moved impossibly slow, stopping and cowering, punching at the air or doors every couple of seconds, insisting they go back where it was safe and not forward. Seongwoo coaxed him to go forward step by step, promising they were almost through, but it was a slow, painstaking process.

The big man was shivering and clinging to him like a child by the time they got to the exit. When they made it out, Daniel plopped listlessly on the ground, burying his face in his knees. He was humiliated and also exhausted from nerves and all the shouting he had done.

Seongwoo squatted down and massaged his shoulders, chuckling. Never would he have guessed this big, tall, masculine seeming man was a huge coward with horror things, even worse than him. He bet that Daniel would be the same with thriller movies and books. That made him feel good somehow, being better than his boyfriend at at least this one thing.

The others teased him relentlessly. Daniel had apparently been so loud people passing by had stopped to see what was going on from the TV displaying what was going on inside the mansion. They had seen everything from the last several minutes and had a good laugh. He was dubbed the biggest chicken of the century.

That's when Seongwoo learned what Jisung had meant about the chicken comment earlier. It was another word to say coward.

 

 

After they had a good laugh and teasing fest at Daniel's expense, they went to the carousal. It was lit up brightly and playing calming piano music as the decorated ceramic horses pumped slowly up and down. They took a picture all together in front of the pretty display with Seongwoo's new phone as commemoration. Then, they rode on the ride.

Daniel and Seongwoo were on horses next to each other. They hugged the poles and took turns looking at each other and over the twinkling park, the cool gentle breeze making strands of their hair softly dance. Seongwoo started drifting off. Daniel watched him with a sweet smile.

"Sleepy?"

Seongwoo yawned and nodded, then closed his eyes as he rested his head on the shifting pole. "Little bit..."

"A lot it seems like. It's been a long, eventful day and we slept pretty late last night. You must be exhausted."

Daniel chuckled and cooed sympathetically, reaching over to pet the back of his hair. Seongwoo hummed in a purr like fashion, feeling relaxed and even closer to the brink of deep sleep.

"Did you enjoy your first amusement park?" Daniel asked softly.

The ride had stopped and Daniel he realized was holding him so he didn't fall off while he was taking a short nap.

"Hmm, so much," he murmured, then yawned sleepily.

He couldn't open his eyes. Daniel held him to his chest and lifted him off the horse with some incredible reserve of strength. Seongwoo walked with his eyes closed, snuggling into Daniel's shoulder.

"Aw, is he tired?"

"He looks exhausted."

"Maybe it was all too much at once."

"I hope he didn't get sick from the rides."

Seongwoo knew through the exhaustion induced haze that people were talking about them and they were messing up his hair by petting it but he couldn't bring himself to open up his eyes or brush their hands away right now. He was just too relaxed, content and tired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the group date continued. I wanted to put the amusement park in its own chapter. It's pretty long but actually turned out a bit shorter than I expected. I thought it would end up being 8,000 words. There's lots of couple moments and various other ships. In general, I hope you can see that they are all growing close and that everyone is sort of centered around Seongwoo, who is becoming important to everyone. They came to this place even though it's quite cold outside and lots of people which they usually try to avoid, especially shifters because of their heightened senses, all for Ong who hadn't experienced an amusement park yet. I think that's really sweet. Actually, their growing relationship and how they feel for Ong is really important for later in this story. They will all be involved in the next angsty arc(still got a few chapters before that starts, don't worry). Another thing to note in here is that I put the romance story of the two shifter couples. It's not important to the plot but I thought you guys might think it's cute. This is my idea of how they met and fell in love. I particularly love PanWink's story because I could picture it being so realistic. And I love the idea of them meeting as humans, since they do everything in their human form pretty much.
> 
> The next chapter has some things that I have yet to try with this story, so I'm not sure if it will be any good or not. Daniel takes Seongwoo to his home in Busan in his cat form to meet his family. I have never actually written about Daniel's mother, who we really have seen a few times. I will try to make her realistic but take it with a grain of salt. I don't know much about his home in Busan either since it's never been revealed. Also, I will be having Daniel's cats Peter and Rooney interacting with Ong as purely a cat. So we're going to have some cat on catmance going on. This I will also try to make it realistic and funny. I have never written from an actual cat's perspective. Hopefully it's interesting. Anyway, the next update will be a week later.
> 
> Let me know below what you thought of this group episode. Sorry that Woojin isn't in here. He's a busy guy compared to the rest. He will be around in the next angst arc quite a bit since he's very important.
> 
>  
> 
> Please check out my other stories if you haven't read them!
> 
> Heads or Tails: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14045268/chapters/32351079  
> Yes Sir: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13539408/chapters/31062891  
> Couples One-Shots: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14249877/chapters/32861832  
> Puppy Love: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13608948/chapters/31243338
> 
> NEW STORY : Ongholics (love square twit au with ongnielminhwan): https://archiveofourown.org/works/14621049/chapters/33789708
> 
> Please please please check out esp my new ones and one shots~~ I would love to hear feedback on these but haven't gotten as much as I had hoped. If you like it please leave me a comment and recommend to your friends. It would be so much appreciated. Tho if you don't i still love you all so no pressure!
> 
> <3 Raina


	28. Busan Getaway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel takes Seongwoo to Busan in his cat form most of the time. He meets Daniel's mother, explores his home town, hangs out and befriends Daniel's real cats Peter and Rooney, and in general they have a chill, great time. That night, Seongwoo is struck with a strong heat wave while they are in private and asks Daniel to show him how he can relieve his sickness temporarily. Will Daniel show him and just how far will they go?

Daniel was packing their things for his trip. He was taking Seongwoo to his home town finally for the weekend. It had been months since he had seen his mom and he was overdue for a visit. He didn't currently have work or some assignment to finish by Monday. Plus, Seongwoo said he was really curious about his hometown and wanted to get out and explore somewhere new. This was as perfect time as ever, even if it was too cold to swim.

He had decided to save money by taking him as a cat. That was handy as he didn't have to buy a ticket if he brought him in a carrier. He saved sixty thousand won that way. First, he put everything he needed to bring on the bed. Seongwoo helped by bringing things he listed off, jogging from the closet, the desk, the vanity and the bathroom, tossing stuff cheerfully on the bed. It was cute how he had boundless energy and was always more than willing to help others. He was so eager to please all the time.

Daniel worried about his condition though, running around like that. These days Seongwoo's health didn't seem to be good. His condition had worsened since the seasons changed. He was getting heat waves more frequently and he sometimes coughed and got easily out of breath.

"Slow down and take a rest, Seonwoo. You're breathing hard. I worry you have a cold. You better dress warm."

Jisung forced Seongwoo to stop running around and pulled him to the closet. He put a thick padded white jacket that went to his knees over his cardigan. Then he wrapped a red knit scarf several times around his head and put on a black beanie with white reindeer running across the brim over his curly brown locks. He looked like a marshmallow twice his size, his pretty face only half visible. Daniel chuckled as his mate flashed him a 'save me I'm so hot now' look.

"Just when I thought you couldn't get any cuter, you go and do it~" he murmured, affection spilling out through his tone.

"This is why I worry. You are his boyfriend and caretaker. You cannot just focus on his looks all the time. You need to make sure he stays warm when he's sick. And you need to pack everything. Look here! You forgot his food, you have no water and you didn't even pack tissues or an extra toothbrush!" Jisung scolded, eying the things on the bed with hawk eyes.

"I will pack from now on. You just get dressed and Seongwoo you lay down and rest. Daniel, make sure he takes that medicine and get him some jasmine tea with a dash of lemon. He seems like he's got a sore throat and it will help with the cough."

Jisung then ordered them around like a commander in the military. They obeyed, not wanting to risk his wrath which they knew was formidable when he got this way. Daniel left him to pack and organize their suitcase, adding things here and there he hadn't thought of to bring. He wore a jacket and scarf and put two hot packs in his pockets. Then, he went to the kitchen area to pour the hot water in a cup, add lemon and a teabag. Seongwoo laid down just like that and closed his eyes, coughing here and there. Daniel sat next to him and rubbed his stomach with the steaming cup in hand.

"Are you okay? Tell me honestly," he said softly with a bit of concern.

Seongwoo sat up and pulled down the scarf to smile at him. "My throat's a bit scratchy and I still have a little cough, that's all. It's probably because I've never stayed this long in my human body. Don't worry. My immune system will eventually get as strong as usual if I stay this way. Getting sick helps your body learn how to fight. This is nothing. Just a minor cold."

"Well, if you're sure. Take this medicine for now. But you should tell me right away if it gets worse. Luckily, you haven't thrown up or had any fever yet so it isn't serious. But if that happens, we should see a doctor right away. There's all kinds of terrible diseases running around these days, so who knows."

Seongwoo took the medicine in his mouth and drank the tea, his nose wrinkling and lips frowning at the bitterness of both. It was such an adorable look. Daniel grabbed the boy's chin and pecked his lips. Seongwoo giggled and flushed, hiding in his scarf in a bashful manner.

"You're not supposed to do that, remember. It could be contagious~" he whined.

"Don't care~" Daniel smiled while biting his tongue in an impish, childish fashion.

"Aigoo, you choding! You just have to do the opposite of everything your elders say, don't you? If you get sick who will take care of Seongwoo in the case he gets worse, hmm?" Jisung scolded in playful irritation, affectionately bopping him on the head.

"Seongwoo, you have to keep this perv in check, okay? Tell him a firm no. Just like we practiced. What do we say if Daniel is making a move on you as long as you're not feeling well?" He reminded the warmly dressed boy watching the steam swirl through the air with childlike, or rather catlike, fascination. His head snapped up to attention.

"Ne? Oh, yeah..."

He looked at Daniel and put his hand out with all five fingers out as if to block him from an attack. Daniel sat there, feeling offended. I just pecked my boyfriend because he was looking too adorable to resist and he just had a minor cough anyway. Why am I being made into an insensitive, uncontrollable creep?

"No kisses, Niel..." Seongwoo murmured, his lips tilting up in a feline way at the corners.

They both chuckled with amusement, thinking this was rather silly and ridiculous. The shifter was addicted to getting kissed as much as his mate was with showering him with kisses. There was no way they would ever let some cold come between them when even their secrets all being laid bare hadn't been successful. No matter how much their concerned surrogate mother threatened them.

"Stronger!" Jisung demanded.

"No kisses, Kang Daniel!" He said firmly and almost sounded enough like he meant it.

Daniel played along with the act, giving an upset pout. Jisung believed it, not catching on to the subtle twinkle of mischief he saw hidden in those ever so familiar, gorgeous, warm brown eyes. When Jisung turned away, Daniel leaned in and snuck a quiet, tiny kiss and he obliged giddily. Then, he went back to drinking tea like nothing had happened.

Jisung was surprisingly quick and thorough with packing. Daniel got out the carrier they had recently bought. He put a warm blanket and some toys inside.

"Ah shoot. That's right. Seongwoo is going in cat form to save money. That was stupid of me. Will he be warm? Do we have a sweater for animals? Oh, my dolls, perfect!"

Seongwoo was forced to wake up and change into his cat form. Jisung put the Bengal cat in a sailor shirt that was striped white and blue and had a golden bow around the neck. Seongwoo looked down at it and bit at the bow, meowing as if he was saying with displeasure 'What is this monstrosity? It's not pretty, get it off~'

Jisung stuffed the clothes he had been wearing in their suitcase. It was so full by now Daniel had to sit on it so Jisung could zip it closed.

"Seongwoo, stop worrying. Such a diva. You look cute. Even if it's a little weird. Animals do it all the time. Don't look at me like that. We aren't taking it off. You need to stay warm. Your fur is shorthaired so I don't think it's enough. It's seriously cold out in this area."

Jisung watched Daniel scold the cat softly as the cat gave him a pleading and then disgruntled look.

"Am I seeing things? Somehow, I can picture exactly what he's saying to you. Is it because I know he's human too? Oh, this supernatural stuff is so weird," he said with amazement and a visible shiver.

"I think you are just able to tune in because he's expressive. You're thinking beyond the fact he's an animal and seeing him as an individual."

Seongwoo meowed a further complaint as Daniel picked him up. He sounded slightly irritated. Daniel held him and stuck out his lips for kisses. "Seongwoo, my pretty boy, don't be upset. Aigoo, look at you being pouty just because you didn't get your way for once. Too freaking adorable~"

The blonde chuckled as the cat shifter pushed his paw to his mouth and turned his head away, rejecting his kiss.

"I'm bigger than you in this form. Stronger too. So, I always win. Sorry babe."

He forced Seongwoo close and smothered him in noisy kisses all over, hugging his furry body close as he squirmed and mewled in complaint. It was almost like he was saying 'get off, no kisses allowed, stop being a bully, enough you big meanie~'

Jisung couldn't but help but laugh as he watched their cute, intimate, different sort of interaction like this. It felt really right in its own away. They were clearly fond of each other and in extremely good spirits.

"Alright, children. You have a train to catch in just an hour. Time's ticking. Give him to me."

Jisung held his arms out. Seongwoo seemed grateful to be out of the other's arms. He looked at Jisung as if he was sighing 'oh thank god you saved me, what's with him today, he's so mean, right?'

"Take your medicine for sure and keep warm no matter what, Seongwoo-yah. Keep Daniel out of trouble and out of the hospital for me, please. Don't let him do anything stupid."

The cat meowed surely as if promising him, 'of course, leave everything to me, especially our idiot.'

"Hey~" Daniel said as if offended and able to hear their telepathic conversation.

They both looked at him and stuck out their tongues since it was the truth he was an idiot who did stupid things that could get him hurt or in trouble often. Seongwoo then jumped up on his chest as if to hug him and pressed his mouth on his cheek.

Jisung smiled in a flattered way and kissed his fuzzy cheek back. "Aw, I will miss you too, kiddo. You have fun."

Then, he helped Seongwoo into the carrier. Daniel zipped up, scratching his fingers on the screen with a silly lovesick sort of expression like Seongwoo was too cute to handle. Which Jisung would hands down admit was true.

"Take care. Come back in one piece. If he's sicker, go right to a hospital and you must tell me."

They hugged and he zipped Daniel's jacket higher and fastened it securely so he stayed warm.

"You worry too much mom. Just relax, have Sungwoon stay over the whole time, and spend all your free time romping like animals."

Jisung hit him and flushed at his dirty talk. "We don't go that hard."

"Beg to differ from what Sungwoon lets slip sometimes. You could be a catman too..." He chuckled, teasing his friend relentlessly.

"I'm going to literally kill him!" Jisung gasped and grumbled, reaching for his phone to chew his blabber mouth lover's head off.

 

 

On the rapid train going South luckily there was nobody who bought the seat right next to Daniel so he was able to put the carrier by the window. It could unzip at the top sort of like an open car. Seongwoo climbed halfway with his paws and upper body out, looking outside. He seemed entranced by the country side. Daniel read webtoons and listened to music, occasionally petting and glancing over at him.

"Thinking of your village? I wonder if you like the mountains. Probably not since you're such a clean neat freak. If you want, we can go hiking in the spring. I bet you would love the blossoms in full bloom. It's good to get exercise and fresh air for the human body."

"If you need food or water give me a sign, okay? I brought everything you need. You're riding in first class with a servant here to do your bidding. Oh, but if you need to pee, you've got to hold it. It would look really weird if I brought you to the bathroom."

He also went on about the history of the train system and how incredibly fast this train was then proceeded to talk about some of the places they passed, just interesting tidbits and stories from when he went there and what was their specialty food. Like this, Daniel spent two hours talking to Seongwoo to keep him from being bored or anxious, until he fell asleep that is. He knew that he looked kind of crazy to other people but he didn't really care. In his mind, Seongwoo was the only thing that ever mattered, especially over himself. He was that sort of caring, selfless lover he realized now.

Some people stopped on the way to the bathroom to see who was talking to himself. Then, they would see Seongwoo and their faces would light up as people usually did when they saw cute, fuzzy animals.

"Aw~ You were chatting with your cat, so precious," A girl a bit older than him in a fluffy white jacket with dyed yellow hair murmured, hanging on to the seat in front of him.

"Yeah, he likes the sound of my voice, I think. He gets nervous on trains," he explained proudly, looking at the sleeping cat and petting his back.

Seongwoo was curled up with his head resting on the blanket out of the case so his face was clearly visible and he was purring fiercely. He rather liked the idea of purring because he could easily tell when Seongwoo was really happy and content, like now.

"What's his name?"

"Seongwoo. Ong Seongwoo."

"Sounds human."

"He's very human like. He's got real character, this sweetheart."

"Sounds like you really love him."

"I do."

"Well I like his little outfit. You were trying to keep him warm, right? Wah, you would make such a great boyfriend. I wish I could find a guy that acted that sweet to me."

He chose to ignore her hints and infatuated smiles. After that though, the girl continued to compliment him and flirt with him. Every time that she tried to ask for his number, he quickly changed the subject. He eventually shook her off because he said he wanted to take a nap because he had been busy with school and then packing so he hadn't gotten much sleep last night. He noticed when she left with a disappointed face at not getting his contact info to set up some date in Seoul certainly that Seongwoo was awake.

He was looking at the girl leaving with narrowed eyes. Then, he looked at Daniel in an accusing way as if to say 'what were you talking about, who's that?'

Daniel snickered and ruffled the tuffs of hair on the top of his head playfully. "You're jealous," he teased. "She was flirting but I turned her down, don't worry. She said lots of nice things about you too. That you're really handsome and well groomed."

The comment seemed to reassure him and his expression relaxed. Seongwoo could forgive almost anyone that called him handsome rather than pretty, even some human trying to steal his mate from under his nose.

 

 

Daniel took Seongwoo in the carrier from the train station all the way to his home. Luckily, Seongwoo wasn't heavy. To keep Seongwoo from getting scared, he walked on the road with the least amount of people and he kept himself on the car side. As he walked, he explained all the various places around out loud.

"That is a beef store. That place sells good bread. That shop gives good cheap haircuts. That shop you can choose the seafood you want to eat and they grill it for you. That's a school. That shop sells vintage hats. That's a video store..."

He turned the carrier and pointed to every place he chatted about so Seongwoo could see it. Luckily, he wasn't showing much signs of anxiety as he did before but then again that was the first time he'd been in a city and Seongwoo had travelled around a lot as a human so he probably didn't have much to fear anymore. He was just full of curiosity, wanting to know everything about everywhere.

Daniel bought a bouquet of flowers at a flowershop. Seongwoo seemed to approve of that one’s color and smell when he had given him options to choose from so it was almost like shopping with his girlfriend on their way to meet his mom for the first time. He went home and knocked on the door. He was hoping his mother was currently home right now. Since he was surprising her. He hadn't told her anything about going home.

She looked totally shocked when she opened the door. Her hand was on her chest and her mouth wide open as she gasped.

"Umma~ I missed you!"

Daniel set down the carrier and flowers and jumped on her like he was a five-year-old despite he was much taller and bigger than her. His mother was a sturdy country girl though that loved eating as much as she loved cooking and could win most men in a arm wrestling contest. She was easily able to carry his weight and she was used to her son being overly affectionate and immature for his twenty-two years.

"My son~ Oh it's so good to see you. It's been so long. Thanks for coming even though you're always busy. I hope you're not slacking off on some project."

"Eh~ of course I wouldn’t mom. You're paying for my classes and all so how could I do that? Of course, I finished my work and got a day off from the dance academy. I wanted to surprise you. It's your birthday today, right? Here's gifts."

"Omo saesangae! My word. You're too much, my darling~"

She squealed as he handed her a brand-new name brand bag and the flowers. She seemed to love them thankfully. Then again, his mother loved everything he ever gave her, even a macaroni necklace or a butterfly he captured in the park and carried home in a shoe box.

"You must be starved. It's such a long journey and cold. Did you eat all the side dishes I sent? I will send more when you go home to last until Winter vacation. You're coming, right? I hope you're eating well these days, not just ramen and instant curry. I really regret not teaching you how to cook. Get a nice girlfriend who cooks for you soon, hmm? I don't care who. I just worry you're only working and studying. You need to have fun while you're young-- party, date around. No drugs though, please..."

Daniel hugged his mother’s shoulders as she rambled on, chuckling at how similar they were. He rested his head on top of hers and sighed.

"Aw umma, I missed you."

He really did miss the sound of her voice and chatter. Unlike many other teenage boys, he had never had a time where he fought or found his mother noisy and annoying or extremely naggy. He understood she said everything only because she cared about him more than anything else in the world and she was right about most things though he still didn't listen but he did try. Obviously not about the girlfriend thing for clear reasons.

He couldn't wait to just chat with her about his life and her life at the store and their father and all kinds of things. Whenever he met his mom, they cuddled, ate yummy food, drank beer, and talked about random things for hours,the time flying by without them realizing it at all. He heard a meow from inside the room. An orange cat was sitting just inside the doorway, having heard his master's voice and come out to greet him.

"Peter! Long time no see Buddy. You look good. A bit fatter though."

He went in to pet her. Seongwoo meowed as Peter seemed to be greeting him, eying the carrier curiously. They must be able to smell each other, he figured.

"Oh right. Mom this is my new son, Seongwoo."

He picked up the carrier and called to his lover in disguise to come close and greet his mother. She looked inside and tsked her tongue. She knocked him on the head with an affectionate grin.

"Kang Euigun, you got another stray! I'm up to my ears with the other two you brought home years ago. It's a fortune to feed them already and I spend forever cleaning up their hair. I can't take in another. You have such a kind heart, and I feel blessed every day to have you, but really..."

"No worries. This one is staying with me. He's really quiet and chill so it's easy to hide him in the dorms. I found him in the woods but he definitely had an owner who trained him really well. You will see. He's really well behaved and super clean. He does eat quite a bit though but he prefers human food so we can just give him some leftovers. Anyway, I brought him to meet Peter and Rooney. He could use a playmate his age I figured."

Sort of a lie but an understandable one.

"Okay, I guess if he's not going to be my responsibility this time... Let's have a look at him and get you settled in."

They went into the house which was small, cozy, clean and warm as ever. It always smelled like apples and cinnamon, his mother’s favorite scent. She kept candles going all over house with that scent. As his mother went to go make food after he promised he would answer all her earlier questions and more over a meal, he went to put his things in his room. He put down his suitcase and took Seongwoo back to the living room.

Peter had apparently spread the word about master being home with a new brother for them to Rooney. The skinny, smaller orange cat came out. She meowed and rubbed against his legs in greeting, looking between him with affection to the carrier with curiosity in her yellow eyes.

"Okay guys. Meet your new brother. I hope you will be nice and have a lot of things to talk about. Seongwoo is a very special Oppa and he comes from a faraway place. He's seen a lot and knows a lot about the world. Maybe you can learn from him and become even cooler better cats. Help mom around the house and be better behaved. Seongwoo, say hello to Peter and Rooney. I told you a lot about them so I won't say anymore."

He opened the carrier. The cat stepped out as gracefully, proud, and energetic as ever. He was bigger, sleeker, and more beautiful than the other two by far, which Daniel worried would make his cats offended or intimidated so they wouldn't get along. To his delight though, they seemed infatuated and instantly in love with him. They circled him and sniffed him all over and they were all busy meowing back and forth in a friendly chatty way. He sat crisscrossed and watched them interact with a fond, pleased smile.

"Great, you guys are getting along already."

Seongwoo seemed to be showing off his carrier and nifty sweater they were sniffing and pawing at with awe. They never got things like that so it must seem like Seongwoo was treated specially, sort of like their king. Daniel decided it was fine to leave them alone after putting out some toys and pointing out to Seongwoo where the food and water could be found if he needed it. Then, he went to go help his mom prepare dinner and chat for a while.

 

 

Seongwoo was left to talk with the chatty cats. He could understand them but it was sort of the same with the way he spoke the human language. He couldn't understand every word or speak perfectly. And they each had an accent since they were from different regions. Somehow there was a deep sort of twang similar to the way Daniel spoke when his accent really came out. But these cats didn't attempt to hide it the way Daniel did most of the time around his friends to be understood. He figured they hadn't learned any other way to speak so they couldn't just switch back and forth at will.

"You talk funny. You're not from Busan."

"I'm from a place called Gapyung. It's in the mountains some ways a way from Seoul where I live with Daniel now."

"What's Seoul?"

"Just a city in the north. Colder than here and no beach," he explained.

"Why are you so big?"

"And shiny? How many times you must have to lick to get this clean and smooth. Wow, that's dedication. Not a single hair gone astray wow. Impressive. We're much too lazy for that."

"Agreed. I would rather spend that time wrestling, chasing birds and squirrels, or sleeping. That's how a Busan cat spend his days. Not like those prissy Seoul cats. No offense, you're not from there."

"Yeah, you are different, oppa. I think you're so cool. You are handsome and pretty but you seem strong and confident. Not feminine, weak, and stuck up like those Seoul cats we've seen."

"Good to know. I completely agree. Dan took me to this place where you play around with other random house cats. They were just like you said. Sort of stuck up, girly, selfish, and boring. I didn't get along with any of them. You guys seem really nice though. Down to earth, friendly, honest. My kind of cats."

"Yeah, sweet. Let's play then. Are you good at wrestling?"

"Nah, I'm kind of weak. But I'm really fast. Let's play chase. I'll be the cat, you be the mice," he suggested.

The cats at the cafe had taught him this game and it seemed like it was universal. They agreed readily, seeming excited to have another playmate because there was more of a challenge now. They played like teenagers and grew close quickly. Seongwoo was ecstatic to have his first cat friends.

Even better, they had something huge in common. They were Daniel's and he was theirs. Peter and Rooney also loved him unconditionally and thought he was the coolest, kindest, funnest human ever.

After chasing each other all over the house and Seongwoo proved himself by far the superior athlete, they rested on the couch, cleaning each other and chatting about their master. Daniel had found both of them around the same year on the street by his home as young kittens. They had gotten separated from their mothers. At first, he had just visited them with food, water, blankets, and toys. Then on a rainy or snowy day he couldn't stand to see them out by themselves possibly getting sick and took them home. He had been a fantastic owner, often showering them with attention and playing with them and spoiling them rotten.

They said they missed him a lot since he moved because his mother wasn't as much of a cat lover. But they were happy still since they had each other. They weren't kittens either. As adult cats enjoyed more time sleeping than playing with humans. They could stand only a little bit of pets per day but Daniel wanted to be around them constantly, which could be bothersome. It was for the best then, Seongwoo assumed, for all parties involved. He was the oddball then he guessed because he never ever got tired of his constant affection. That was his reason for living pretty much now.

"Make room guys~ It's veg time."

Daniel came over to the couch smelling like food. They had eaten dinner apparently. The cats scattered as he sat in the middle, put his feet up, and turned on the TV to a music broadcast channel.

"Seongwoo, come sit here," he clicked his tongue at the Bengal and pat his lap.

Usually, he wouldn't hesitate, but after hearing the other cats’ stories, he felt guilty. He already stole Daniel often. He didn't want to take away their limited time together. The cats all looked at each other and meowed.

"You go ahead, oppa. He wants you."

"No, it's alright. I'm with him all the time, so you go."

"I don't really feel like pets though. You go, Peter."

"But master Dan wants Seongwoo..." 

"Really, I'm fine. He's cool with anyone. He's just concerned I'm lonely or something. There's no preference."

"Okay, you guys are all bad mouthing me, is that it? What, so no one wants to cuddle with daddy today? Do I stink?" Daniel commented in amused offense.

Seongwoo jumped up on the back of the couch and laid behind his head so the other cats would lay next to him or in his lap. They both curled up in his lap and he pet them both, chatting, kissing, and complimenting them with a cheesy, loving tone. Seongwoo watched from above, feeling happy for them. It was good to see his boyfriend loved by his new sisters. Seongwoo wasn't at all jealous in this case because he figured that would just be petty.

 Daniel didn't have to hear their words to know what was going on and the kind, selfless act his lover just pulled. He had given way to the other cats since he learned they had missed him and were always very close like family. He had been busy with his mom and eating her delicious meals, but of course he could never be too busy not to keep a concerned eye out always on his mate. He had been concerned for absolutely no reason though. The cats played all around the house, chatted, and even cuddled and groomed each other. Rather, he almost felt lonely or upset because Seongwoo seemed totally fine without him and having a blast with cats. It made him slightly worried that he actually liked his shifter form much more than he usually implied.

He turned his head and met a pair of half-closed, happy green eyes. He seemed to be saying, 'Enjoying the moment? Don't mind me. I'm good right here.' Daniel smiled and kissed from his furry stomach and down to his velvety paw.

"I love you. You're truly the best," he murmured lowly, sure Seongwoo could pick it up with his super hearing.

Seongwoo purred harder and bumped his nose on Daniel's head in response. It was a cat form of the expression he easily interpreted and took to heart.

 

 

For a couple more hours, Daniel watched TV, ate ice cream, drank beer, and chatted with his mom about anything and everything. His dad never came home though, apparently, he was out at sea. Eventually, he went to bed, insisting only Seongwoo could follow him. The other cats said good night as they were on their way for a midnight snacking session surely followed by some more wrestling play time as per usual.

Once in the room, Daniel took out pajamas for both of them and politely stepped out of the room to get their bag of night stuff in the bathroom. Seongwoo came out in human form, wearing the blue pajamas. Luckily, he didn't look sick and Daniel felt no fever. They got ready for bed together quickly, staying silent and keeping lookout for his mom to appear. She never came out of her room. Daniel figured she was sleeping already since she had to open the shop up tomorrow.

 "It's safe. Let's go to sleep~" he whispered and grabbed Seongwoo's hand.

They tiptoed quick as they could to the bedroom. Daniel pulled him into his bed and tossed the blankets over, squeezing the boy tight. He had missed not seeing him like this even though it was not barely a full day. Seongwoo giggled since Daniel's fingers and stubble were tickling him. For a while, they laid together, Daniel watching Seongwoo with a silly, loving smile and playing with his hair or poking his face while Seongwoo looked around Daniel's room.

He tried to learn about him and picture Kang Euigun the teenager living here. The room was rather bare, simple, and clean but certainly that was all because he had moved his things out and his mom kept it clean. The walls were sky blue and there was a giant rug on the floor that looked like a black and white soccer ball. There were various posters and mottos on the walls—soccer, singer, dancer, game, animation related. The mottos were in Korean and English encouraging him to never give up, believe in himself, stay strong go for his dream, take things easy and not stress, things like that. There were some cute accents here and there on his bed and desk and dresser such as cat stickers, dolls, and a large cat that moved its hand up and down. He had polaroids of his cats hanging around his bed on a shoelace and framed photos of his family on vacation or at the beach and with his dance crew friends. Somehow the room screamed Daniel to him. Yet it was also a different side he didn't know personally.

"What do you want to do?" Seongwoo asked.

"Nothing but cuddle you right here. I'm feeling lazy. Something you want to do?"

"There's something I want to do but not at night."

"What is it?" Daniel asked curiously as he curled Seongwoo’s hair around his fingers and stared at him softly.

Seongwoo flushed, looking down at the blankets with clouds. "I want to learn more about your home town and your childhood. Can we go around and visit your school?"

"Well, the town sure, but the school, hmm..."

Seongwoo grew curious at his hesitation.

"Something wrong?"

Daniel smiled again and shook his head. The flash of darkness in his expression was gone.

"Nothing. Sure, let's go to my old school tomorrow after breakfast. You want to see the ocean too?"

"Yes! That's right, I've never seen an ocean," he responded excitedly clapping his hands.

"Okay, we will walk on the beach and wander around the town from my memories. I will tell you stories too then."

"Oh, would you? That would be great.” Seongwoo beamed.

"I wish I could do the same for you..."

Seongwoo then smiled a bit sadly. Daniel brushed the corner of his lip with worry. Seongwoo must be feeling a bit homesick but his home was far away and he didn't even know exactly and he wouldn't go with him because his family wouldn't approve, plus Seongwoo had run away from there for several reasons, so he couldn't so easily visit on his own he figured.

"I hated my village but we could visit the neighboring town someday. I have lots of good memories of there," he promised.

Daniel changed the subject, not liking the sad, conflicted distant look in his eyes that suggested there were things he hadn't told him about his family and past.

"Can you half transform? I want to see your ears."

"Hmm? Sure. If you want to. It's good you're not freaked out by them..."

These days, Daniel asked him quite often to transform his ears and eyes when they were alone in a room. He liked to stare at his enchanting, unusual eyes and stroke his velvety ears. Seongwoo closed his eyes and from lots of practice was able to quickly conjure the feline features in a few seconds. Daniel immediately touched his ears, letting out a soft exhale.

"So cute and yet exotically hot..." He murmured.

Seongwoo bit his lip, holding back a pleasure moan as his fingers caressed his sensitive ears.

 

 

"Uh oh..." Seongwoo murmured out loud a minute later.

He was feeling a heat wave coming on and it was an oddly fierce one. That was definitely happening because winter was just around the corner, barely a month away. His face felt hot and sweaty, his body tingled, then tensed and ached. He was much too aware of Daniel’s sensational touch and the way he was staring at him with rising desire. He was getting horny, the ears were probably making him that way because it was his kink he had admitted once.

"Kiss me..No, I mean, make out with me Daniel... We haven't tried that yet like this..." Seongwoo whispered but was too embarrassed to look at him when he said that.

He played with the blanket edge and chewed on his lip nervously as he waited for a couple minutes in silence. Daniel seemed to be in deep thought. Seongwoo sighed, resigning himself to yet another subtle rejection. Daniel just wasn't ready for that yet. He wasn't as attracted to him as before. He would have to wait it out longer and suffer these horrible worsening systems.

Just then, he was forced to the bed with a heavy warmth on his body and hungry, pillowy soft lips pressed to his. Daniel was kissing him seriously. He hurried to take advantage of the situation, whatever had finally gotten into his always cautious, denying boyfriend before he could change his mind. His symptoms were too desperate. He really needed some relief and he was extremely eager to be physically intimate with him again. He wrapped his arms around his neck, his legs around the other’s calves so he couldn't easily climb off, kissing him back fiercely.

Daniel continued to finger his ears and gaze at him as he firmly pressed their lips together and nibbled and nipped as if tasting a treat and savoring it before he was going to gobble it up. Seongwoo felt the same. Daniel was too tasty for this to end soon, it needed to last as long as possible. But he was impatient to taste and feel more still. So, he took what he wanted forwardly.

Daniel gasped and groaned as Seongwoo bit him with sharp teeth and forced his parted lips open when he exclaimed in pain with his tongue. Seongwoo gave that purr like feral moan of pleasure that spiked his pleasure and caressed his ears as he swirled their tongues around in a rapid, enthusiastic manner. Daniel took forceful control of the kiss as he grew excited and his resistance snapped. One hand stroked his ears, another hand reached into his pajamas to touch his bare, warm waist as he delved deep in the others sweet mouth passionately. Seongwoo continued to moan and shivered under his touch, his hips pressing up so his erection was forced fully on his thigh. His fingers tangled and gripped his hair, pulling him closer and closer as if he was trying to absorb the blond into his body.

They had never been so rawly passionate and pressed this close all over. It was making them dizzy with pleasure and they couldn't think or speak clearly. They could only act and react on primal instinct. Daniel pushed his pajama shirt off and tossed off his own, wanting to feel skin on skin like that one time he had thought he was dreaming. They both sighed and then moaned as their hands explored the parts of their bare skin not hotly rubbing together. Seongwoo turned his head and exposed his neck in silent invitation. Daniel eagerly went to it, sweetly kissing all over and then retracing his previous track with light nips and tongue flicks. Seongwoo pushed on his shoulders and he followed the other’s instinctual demands. He assumed Seongwoo wanted to know what his lips were like in other places which was perfect because he just started getting curious as well.

He caressed the supple soft skin of Seongwoo’s curvy waist and bony rib cage as he explored along his collar bone, sucked at the mole on his chest, and slowly explored down with sweet sensual kisses. Seongwoo panted, moaned, and gasped here and there, letting him learn where his more sensitive spots were unintentionally. His hands went from gripping and petting his blond hair to caressing his shoulders in encouragement and curiosity. Daniel loved the intimate feeling. Seongwoo's hands felt incredible on his skin. He never could have imagined the certain level of heavenly they were.

He looked back and forth between the pale skin he was exploring to his lover's face, gauging his reaction with a smug smile. Seongwoo's eyes were closed, his small pink lips open, releasing all sorts of steamy, suggestive pants and irresistible purr like moans, his well-groomed, elongated brows folded in at the center almost as if in pain, his brown ears flipped back and forth, wildly shaking at their tips. His entire body felt hot to the touch and he was shaking slightly with excitement.

"Teach me..." Seongwoo whined huskily, digging his nails into Daniel's arms, feeling like his body was burning and searing in the most painful, unbearable way he had rarely experienced.

"Teach you what?" Daniel whispered against his stomach, pausing in his trail of hot kisses.

"My symptoms are terrible now. It's worse for shifters close to winter. I need some... relief. Teach me how you relieve yourself without actually mating. I know we’re not ready for that but oh god I feel like I'm going to die now.."

Daniel came up and held him close, patting his side and kissing his face all over sweetly. "Shoot. Is it really that bad? It's been getting worse? I wish you would have told me."

He paused for a while. "Dammit, I'm an idiot. Actually, the doctor told me but I didn't put it together. Totally slipped my mind. He said that your breed’s heat cycles are longer and stronger and that it gets more so when you get older. That must be why you're sick so much these days. Maybe even the reason for the cold?"

Seongwoo shook his head, panting and groaning against him in pain with his eyes squeezed shut. "I don't know about that but I'm having a really terrible heat wave now. Usually it’s okay if I'm in human form..."

"Shall we mate?" Daniel suggested, wiping off his sweat and staring in concern at his flushed, pained face and the way he was struggling to breathe and shivering though they were just lying there.

It looks like it feels awful. Seongwoo shook his head.

"I'm not ready. There's some...things I need to sort through before we start that."

"Huh..." Was all he could say.

He was relieved because he wasn't confident that he was ready either, but he thought it was unusual for the boy always asking when they were going to do it to refuse when he actually offered rather than jumping immediately on the opportunity.

 

Warning: Slightly mature content from here~

 

Daniel held his jaw and kissed him sweet and hot as his other hand traveled down his chest and stomach. He was shaking with nerves of his own as he thought of how he should touch Seongwoo to make him feel really good. He only had his times with himself to go off of at this point. So, he gently reached in to his pajama pants and held the silky hard member in his hand and did what he would have done to himself.

Seongwoo was eventually struggling too much with moaning and breathing to kiss. Daniel licked and sucked at his ear as he pumped the hard shaft in his hand, willing himself not to get too excited that he just took Seongwoo right now. It was extremely erotic, but he was able to control himself by convincing himself Seongwoo was sick and in pain and he was merely doing this to make him feel better so he shouldn't enjoy it or make it last long. That was the toughest test of his self-restraint ever though.

"Ah, D-Daniel, ah...something is coming up....what's this feeling, so nice and yet so strange..." Seongwoo huffed, straining and rocking his hips.

Daniel whispered in encouragement, "Let it go, Seongwoo. Just concentrate and feel. Don't fight it. It will feel good, I promise..."

Daniel tried to pump faster and moved the tip of Seongwoo's penis so it was outside of the pajamas. He didn't want the clothes soiled because Jisung would surely know and scold him for 'taking advantage' of his little, innocent baby. 

"Ah, hmm, Daniel, oh that's good...." Seongwoo moaned with excitement, not sounding the least bit innocent.

Daniel closed his eyes and bit into the other's ear, willing himself not to come just from the erotic sounds. Wah, this is amazing, I can't believe we're doing this...I'm actually fooling around, pleasuring my innocent baby. Jisung would kill me if he knew..

What is Daniel doing to me? What is this strange, extremely pleasant feeling? Why can't I control myself from making wierd noises and moving?

"It's c-coming, going to explode I think, ah...oh my gosh, I'm leaking. It's not pee, is it? Ah, how embarassing. Don't look..." Seongwoo whined, looking down as white fluid splurted all over his stomach against his will.

Daniel chuckled, gently pulling his hands away from covering up the mess. He reached for a tissue on his nightstand and dabbed at the mess.

 

End of mature content~

 

"You didn't pee, Seongwoo. This is the stuff that gives you a hard time during a heat wave. After it's all out of your system, you feel better. That's how you get relieved."

He caringly cleaned up the boy’s stomach who was recovering his breath. He was smiling softly even as Daniel fixed his pajamas and wiped his sweat off with a tissue. Daniel fanned him, lying on his side and smiling at the other affectionately. That had gone really well. The only thing he regretted was that it hadn’t lasted a minute or two longer because he found that he really enjoyed bringing pleasure to his mate.

"What was all of that?" Seongwoo eventually asked, rolling on to his side sleepily, snuggling into Daniel's chest.

Daniel chuckled as he wrapped the blanket around them and then put his hand on the other’s back, pulling him closer to sleep.

"Hmm, not sure I should tell you. But then again, your innocence is half gone already and you will keep hounding me until I cave later anyway. So, I will just let you in on it. It's called a hand job if you do it to someone else and masturbation if you do it to yourself."

"I thought you were itching yourself in the bathroom but that wasn't itchy at all. It was really... tingly, warm, and exciting. I liked it a lot. You made relieving sound like a bad thing."

"Well, I never said that exactly. I said it could be uncomfortable but some people enjoy it in its one way. I skipped the part about the end being amazing."

"What do you call that? All my blood went to one area and I was tense and then my mind went white and my whole body felt waves of pleasure. I felt so happy and relaxed and I made all those strange sounds. I couldn't help it but it was so embarrassing. Then, I started leaking that strange smelly fluid. What's that called?"

"That feeling is called an orgasm. Some people like it so that's why they mate often. The liquid is called sperm. It's what makes babies if you mate with a female. They don't tell you these things in your village when you reach adulthood?" He asked with surprise at how little Seongwoo knew despite being an adult.

Shifter culture was really different, as if living nearly a hundred years ago compared to most human cultures around the world. Very few even undeveloped countries didn't have basic sex education. To think Seongwoo didn't know what sperm or ejaculation was or where babies came from.

"I sort of knew that. I'm not that much of a virgin..." Seongwoo retorted, his face flaming with embarrassment and a pout on his bow lips.

"Oh, I really think you are. Don't worry though. I will teach you what I know and we will learn the rest together. I don't know that much more than you anyway. Just theoretical stuff. But are you sure you want to mate with a human? I think human sex is much more complicated than animals, especially with a guy. And we can't make children. Not saying humans mate only to make them but you should know in advance. Only female-male pairs can mate and create children."

"Oh, I didn't know that. Since there's no such thing as male-male pairs in my culture. I thought it was just rare, not impossible. Why is that?"

"Oh, boy..." Daniel sighed, his face flaming as well. "Time you learn all about the birds and the bees, Seongwoo. Let's consult YouTube first and I will be here to answer your questions."

He spent the rest of the night teaching about cat and human reproductive organs and the system of how mating worked, various consequences, and even taught him about sex safety and the reasons why it was necessary unless they were both virgins. It was quite awkward and humiliating for him, especially because the female body grossed him out majorly and always had. How could he want to put his penis in something that bled for seven days and was near impossible to keep regularly clean?

 Seongwoo was fascinated by the biology lesson and new information and treated him like a professor he greatly respected and appreciated. That part Daniel did like at least and made the humiliation worth it. Seongwoo seemed shy after he learned about what they did and how relieving yourself was an extremely intimate, sort of dirty thing.

Daniel, on the contrary, was more amused by his reaction after the fact than embarrassed by what they did. He felt closer to Seongwoo and glad they had done it. It was like he had climbed over a giant mountain and the rest was downhill from here. Full on mating would be natural and much easier in the future since they had gone through third base. Home was just around the corner. Whenever Seongwoo decided he was ready for it. Daniel was already planning out how to do their first time and thinking about the research process he needed to start. He was certain now though that he could do it well and give Seongwoo a joyful time even if he fumbled or did something awkwardly. He didn't need to feel pressured so much about it. Because they were in love intensely and so it would of course be great for them whenever and how ever they did it.

It will be just an explosion of our natural chemistry, like a science experiment gone totally right. Ongniel is science.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ongniel finally continuing on with the 'mating' progress! Sorry if you wanted more smut or if that was too much for you. I will try to go in the middle of the spectrum until the end of the story when they actually mate. I wanted it to be sensual but not extremely graphic, hope that was alright for you. Anyways, this chapter is sort of important but more because of the sublte hints here and there. Basically, Seongwoo has been getting worse. His heat waves are getting stronger and more frequent and also you can see that they immobilize him. On top of that, Seongwoo has caught a sickness, could be a cold or could be something else. The other thing that's important is that Daniel and Seongwoo are both hiding secrets from their pasts. Seongwoo's we know is connected to his father and his village who shunned, bullied, and abused him. Daniel's is connected to the school that we know he left after some serious bullying and shaming that occured after he confessed to his first crush and the school found out he was gay. I hope that you can see these are important emotional issues these two have to overcome and that running away from them is not the best idea. They will both need to face their demons if they want to live happy, fulfilling lives down the road. Since you guys seemed to like OngSung just like I do, I put that in here. I also put in Daniel's mother and his cats. I know how they are, but I didn't really bother making them realistic here. Sorry, I didn't really feel like watching TV shows again and doing research. If you are curious about his mother, you can see her on Wanna One Zero Base and P101 the last episode as well. 
> 
> She seems really nice and cool. Daniel relies on his mom for a lot, he seems like a real mama's boy. She supports him majorly and never tried to stop him from dreaming of dancing forever. She told him he better not regret and complain though because it's a hard life and it was his decision(hard to translate but on the show I thought this comment was very cool). She seems like she has a really good head on her shoulders and she raised him well. She even had him do 100 push-ups so that he would end up looking more like a manly man and not be picked on at school. No clue about his dad yet still, it's a mystery. I feel like there's a big secret going on there, but I hope it never comes out and ruins his image.
> 
>  
> 
> Here's Daniel's cats in this story, one an orange tabby and one a calico. They are called Peter and Rooney after soccer players. He thought they were boys but actually they are girls. You can see them on Zero Base too. Daniel is fond of both of them, but Peter seems less friendly and tolerable of Daniel's constant affection compared to Rooney. In this story, I didn't really bring their characters into it since they have just a short dialogue. I hope you liked the brother-sister interaction with Seongwoo though. He has pictures with another cat, a brown tabby. But that's not Rooney since Rooney was proven to be this calico. 
> 
>  
> 
> The next chapter will be a bit angsty but it's not related to the second angsty arc of this story. Also, for those wondering about that, it will not have anything to do with Daniel and Seongwoo breaking up. It will be something else that happens related to Seongwoo's past demons. Anyway, the next chapter Seongwoo and Daniel visit the school and we get to learn specifically how rough Daniel had it. If you have been seriously bullied before, this may be a trigger so I suggest skipping the parts that I mark. Remember that Daniel has issues being open about his preferences and also with getting close to any friends because of the incidents I will reveal. Seongwoo will be there, trying to help him erase as many of the bad memories as possible while making their own, since Seongwoo couldn't go to school and he has great acting skills. Look forward to it, in a week~!
> 
> <3 Raina


	29. Stepping Back into Darkness(Love You to the Moon and Back)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel takes Seongwoo in his human form to visit his old school. There he lets Seongwoo in on his dark past with various experiences of being bullied for being 'abnormal' and a 'monstrosity'. Seongwoo vows that he will replace all of his mates' bad memories with good ones while at the same time creating memories for himself with the life that he wished he could have had as a human. If you have had experiences with bullied, be warned because you might be triggered by the language and violence.

"Why don't you go out?" Daniel's mother suggested as they are an American style breakfast. "Go and see some old friends of yours."

 "Uh, yeah, sure. That's the plan..." Daniel lied.

 The issue was that his friends were all in college too, the few he had. He had already messaged them but they claimed to be busy. He promised instead that he would take Seongwoo anywhere he wanted to go, but his mother couldn't know about that.

First, Seongwoo said he wanted to go to the beach. Then, he said he wanted to visit his elementary school for some reason. He hadn't stepped anywhere near there since he left over a decade ago so he was rather wary about that but he didn't want to deny him. He already felt bad having to hide his lover from his mom, only introducing him as a cat.

Seongwoo was being a trooper about it and totally understood as he seemed to be about everything but Daniel was still ashamed of himself. He hadn't come close to ever exposing himself to his parents because he was worried about disappointing them. He knew they would accept and love him just the same but it would be hard knowing they would never have a daughter in law or grandkids.

 His mother pushed him to date any girl if he liked her at this point because he had never had a girlfriend. He always told her he didn't have the time for one and that there wasn't any girl as perfect as her and he wouldn't settle for less. He had actually settled for more though, in the form of a superhuman male. Seongwoo was better than his mom, he was better than anyone in the entire universe.

'Stop thinking so much and eat, it's healthy food and these days you really have not been eating well so you are all skinny and I'm worried' Seongwoo seemed to be scolding him with deeply concerned, caring green eyes. He was sitting by his chair, studying him this whole time, only meowing just then.

Oh, those pretty eyes, how they can see right through and control me so easily. He picked up the cat, needing to touch his lover somehow. Last night hadn't been enough. Nothing was ever enough after spending those horrid weeks hardly with him and rarely touching him, fighting his impulses and desires every moment they were in the same room.

"Euigun, no cats at the table. You know the rules," his mother scolded gently, narrowing her eyes at the cat.

Daniel pouted and turned puppy eyes on her. Seongwoo sat nicely on his lap, looking at his mother with a similar pitiful look. Daniel knew that his kitty eyes were no joke, they could knock down the most serious, cold hearted of guys.

"Just this once. He will be good. I've got him trained better than Peter and Rooney, I swear. He's really smart and well behaved. Haven't you seen?" He pleaded.

Seongwoo meowed as if repeating what he just said. Daniel's mother looked back and forth clearly wavering at the cute, desperate and deadly puppy and kitten eye combination.

She let out a sigh and waved her hand. "Sure, sure. You know I can't resist that look from my lovely son. And Seongwoo is really quite a lovely animal as well. I’ve never seen a cat so big, pretty and clean."

 She tsked as Daniel happily went back to eating, feeding Seongwoo some of his favorites he was sure the shifter was craving for after his cat food breakfast since he didn't much care for it unless it came in a can.

"I swear you love your cats more than your family."

"Eh~ My cats are a part of our family so technically it's not possible."

She chuckled, sounding impressed by his logic she couldn't argue with.

"You seem so witty now. College has made you smarter already."

"Hmm, I don't know about that. An IT major is really tough. So much math. My new friends have helped me out a lot though."

"Oh really? Good to hear. Tell me all about them." She clapped her hands like a young girl.

Seongwoo continued to eat from Daniel's hand seeming to nod along to parts of what he said about his friends.

"Oh and I have a new best friend! I will bring him next time. His name is Ong Seongwoo!"

Seongwoo meowed, looking up at him with slight panic, a piece of meat hanging between his mouth and his paw as he stopped eating halfway. Daniel smiled down at him with reassurance and scratched behind his ears. Seongwoo purred in pleasure but gave him a look like 'I hope you know what you are doing.'

Daniel had just decided something. He wouldn't tell about Seongwoo being a shifter and he wouldn't say about their relationship and his orientation yet. But he wanted his mother to meet Seongwoo someday and when she grew to like him over the years eventually he would tell her. By that time, she would like Seongwoo so much she would willingly accept him into their family and be happy for them he was certain.

"Ong? I have never heard of an Ong before..." She responded, puzzled.

Seongwoo concentrated on eating and cleaning his paws, ducking his head as if he was embarassed or shy.

"He's a refugee from North Korea. He's a really sweet guy. He's a model and the most handsome guy I've ever seen."

"Eh~ Not possible because that's you."

Daniel chuckled, blushing slightly. His mother really loved him and showered him with affection and compliments like that. That's why Jisung said he was an overgrown baby that would never grow up.

“Hmm, Seongwoo, where are you going?”

He chuckled when he saw that Seongwoo had taken a large piece of ham to Peter and Rooney who were eating the cat food. Daniel figured Seongwoo was sharing ‘the good stuff’ with them since he personally didn’t like cat food. The cats meowed gratefully. They ripped off pieces of the meat and chomped on it happily. They looked like siblings and really got along well, seeming to argue about who should get the last piece rather than greedily fighting over it. Daniel ignored his mother’s warnings just like he did Jisung and went over with another piece of meat for them.

 

 

After breakfast, Daniel put a change of clothes in the bathroom and snuck Seongwoo out when she was cleaning up. Seongwoo waited for him outside as he gave his mother a hug and a kiss goodbye, telling her he would be back around dinner time. Seongwoo and him together quickly ran away down the road before she saw them out the window.

"Wow, that was thrilling!" Seongwoo giggled.

"Sorry. I don't even know why anymore. There's too many reasons, just I'm sorry."

Seongwoo squeezed his hand as they walked towards the beach.

"Don't be sorry. I understand. I wouldn't be able to easily tell my father about you, believe me. I'm happy that you said I was your friend. I wasn't expecting to be mentioned at all."

"You're the most important person in my life. How can I not mention you?"

"Well, I don't want to cause you to be outcasted from your family. It really sucks, believe me."

 "You want to talk about it?" Daniel asked sympathetically, rubbing his shoulder.

"Not now. Today I want to talk about you. We're in your town. I want to hear all about little Daniel. Or should I say little Euigun~"

He laughed and shyly brushed the back of his head. "Sure. What do you want to know?"

"Well, start from the beginning."

"Well, I was born and raised here. All my life, my dad was a fisherman working on this coast and my mom ran a seafood restaurant. We found out early on I was allergic to seafood but it's not serious enough for us to move or change jobs. I was a shy, quiet child so I didn't have many friends. Not until I started dancing."

"Can you swim? Where did you dance?"

"I swam with my crew sometimes but not well. Usually we just hung out on the beach and did some water sports. I met them in middle school. We danced on the streets or an old studio most of the time."

They were now walking along the beach, kicking up sand. The weather was chilly and cloudy. They certainly couldn't go in. Daniel would have to teach him how to swim in the summer. He would be sure to bring him as a human this time.

"You didn't have friends in elementary school?"

 Daniel winced at the mention of exactly the part he'd been skipping in his life. The messy, sordid, dark part that had scarred him and made his relationships and personality quite complicated until he'd met his gay friends and Seongwoo. The trauma that still made it difficult to be himself in public.

"I think I told you part of that. Because I stupidly confessed to a guy, the kids at my school found out I was gay. They bullied me for several months and I lost all my friends through that. I transferred schools but it was difficult to make friends so late on in the school year. I was happy to go to middle school and get a new fresh start with new people that didn't know anything. I hid my orientation out of fear of being bullied and ostracized again."

 "Yeah, I know. I just think that you need to talk about it. You never have, right?" Seongwoo asked gently.

He forced Daniel to stop so he could give him a warm hug. Daniel accepted it gratefully. The wind stung his eyes making him about to tear up so he closed them and hugged the other back, resting his head on his shoulder.

"No, I didn't talk about it even with my parents. My mom thinks I got bullied because I was chubby,weak, ranlike a girl, and short at the time. Also, because people couldn't pronounce my unusual name."

Seongwoo giggled. "Chubby and short Daniel? That sounds like the most adorable kind."

"I wasn't. I was ugly then," he insisted.

Seongwoo’s scoffed. "I doubt it. A handsome guy like you could never have been ugly. Those bullies were just messing with your mind. That's why I think we need to go back to your school and talk about it."

"I don't know if that's a good idea, Seongwoo. It will be painful and I will just make you sad to hear about my dark childhood days..."

"It will, sure. But it will also heal you. Which in the end will make you happy, which in turn makes me happy of course. We are doing it, Niel. Let's go right now," he insisted.

Daniel really wanted to be stubborn about this, dig heels in, and give Seongwoo a firm hard no for once. He couldn't go back there. He would fall apart. All his manliness and confidence would be stripped away and right in front of the person he wanted to always appear cool to. He looked down and Seongwoo was giving him these determined pleading kitten eyes. He sighed.

"Okay but just ten minutes. And no questions. If I want to talk about things, I will."

"Got it! No pressure," he smiled brightly, looking slightly smug that he had won the other over.

 

 

The elementary school looked as clean and cheerful as any other. It had bright colored, three story buildings and a dirt playing field in the middle with a playground. It didn't look special to Seongwoo or bring him any memories, after all he had never been to a human school. It just looked like any other building and field of dirt to him.

He silently followed Daniel on a tour. He told him where certain classes and events had taken place. They walked in through the buildings. There was a hallway with paper decorations and posters on the wall. Sometimes there were shelves of books, trophy and picture displays, and cabinets full of slippers. They walked into an open classroom. It was full of little tables called desks and chairs. The walls were decorated colorfully with letters and animals and fruits and art work from young children. As they reached a large room full of tables, Daniel started talking.

 

(author's note: TRIGGER WARNING. The rest of this chapter will deal with bullying, homophobia, violence, slandering, and familial abuse. If you have issues with these, proceed with caution)

 

"This is the cafeteria. I confessed over there in that corner. The guy I liked was a year older than me. We played soccer together. His name was Jian. You know what happened when I said I liked him? He threw the milk I gave him on the floor and kicked my shin. I sat down and started crying. Other people came over to me. A teacher started to scold him. Jian didn't care. He just shouted out to everyone that I said I liked him. That I was gay. That I was a disgusting freak he never wanted to be friends with again. Other people asked me if it was true. I didn't say anything. They started throwing food at me. I can still smell the ketchup and fries in my hair and feel the soup and seawood slime on my skin...A teacher took me to the nurse's office because my leg was bleeding. Kids were throwing things at me and calling me names like homo, faggot, queer, freak."

Daniel glanced over at Seongwoo at the end of his story. Seongwoo had his hands up to his mouth, his eyes widened and teary. He stood up on his toes and hugged Daniel around his shoulders.

"Wait, that's just the beginning of your torture, isn't it? You poor thing. Human kids are so cruel..." He sniffled, his voice thick with horror and sympathy.

Daniel hugged him for awhile, tears stinging in the back of his eyes he fought back. He couldn't give in when that was the easiest thing to relive of that year.

"I have an idea..."

 "Hmm?"

"What if we do something that will make you happy in the places you have bad memories? We can record over it with good memories. Then, when you recall your school, you will recall that instead."

"Sounds like an idea worth trying." Daniel shrugged and smiled. "What did you have in mind?"

"What makes you happy?"

Daniel was feeling pretty good now with Seongwoo in his arms even if he was in a place he hated recalling things he never wanted to remember.

"Well, I like kissing you," he joked.

"Me too. Think it would work? Let's try it." Seongwoo beamed.

Daniel was overwhelmed as he hadn't thought that Seongwoo would take his suggestion seriously. He flushed and stepped back, coughing nervously.

"We don't need to do that. I was just joking."

"Why? It's a great idea. Let's kiss everywhere around this school. Come on!"

Before he could stop his willful energetic boyfriend, Seongwoo had jumped on him and locked their lips together. He chuckled deep in his throat and smiled as he closed his eyes and focused on enjoying kissing him back.

As soon as he pressed his lips against the others and they held each other close, this magical, warm, peaceful feeling covered them. It was sheer bliss and he couldn't think of anything else. The kiss was perfect as always, it didn't matter where it was. He felt like a part of the darkness clouding his mind was permanently erased with a white light. The memory he had here was gradually fading and being replaced with a much better one to the point they overlapped so much he hardly recalled what had happened here.

After this kiss, there was only one thing he would remember happening in this cafeteria. The most perfect, intimate moment with the man he loved fully and would never be embarrassed about.

"I love you so much, Seongwoo. Be my boyfriend..." He whispered when they parted, cheeks flushing and smiling with bashfulness.

Seongwoo giggled. "Of course, a million times yes!"

 They smiled and laughed, leaning in to kiss for several more amazing, sweet seconds. That was how his first confession should have gone. Well, Daniel decided he was going to replace it with this. This was his first confession. Seongwoo was his first love. Their school life would be different. They would be happy and make great memories all over the school, never be bothered by others that judged them.

 "Seongwoo, you're good at acting, right? Let's roleplay together. Any time I tell you a memory, I want us to act something out in that same spot as if we were students. Something happy. Let's make memories together. You never had a school life, right?"

"Whatever will help you, I'm up to it," he reassured with a bright smile.

 

 

 Daniel grabbed his hands and took him down the hallway back to where the classroom was.

"There, by the classroom door. Often the kids in my class would knock the books from my hands. It would spill on the ground. Then, they would kick them and step on them, making them all dirty with footprints."

 Seongwoo seemed lost in thought for a while. "Stand here and wait~"

 Seongwoo then ran down the hallway.

 "Oh, hyung! That looks heavy. Let me help you."

Seongwoo pretended to take books from him. Daniel smiled gratefully, handing some imaginary books over to him.

 "Thanks, Ong, you saved my life there. My arms felt like they were about to fall off."

"No problem~ So what class are you doing now?"

 "Hmm, math..." Daniel sighed as he pretended to check his class schedule.

"Ew hate math~" Seongwoo made a silly, grossed out face.

"Me too."

"Math should go take a dive down the toilet and never come back."

"Agree totally."

"Wanna skip?"

"Duh!"

 They started walking down the hallway, arms around each other like best buds.

"That was perfect, Seongwoo. That's just what I want."

 "Great. Where next?"

 "Let's walk around and see. I'm sure it will come to me."

 

 

As they walked down the hall, they came to the open classroom they had passed before.

"Ah, this reminds me of those times when my whole class heard the rumors. I would sit in the desk and they would fly paper airplanes or wads of paper at me. Inside they wrote all sorts of nasty things and dirty jokes. Some even told me I didn't deserve to be alive or threatened to kill me or tell my parents if I said I liked them or told on them to the teachers. They would do worse things too. They started getting physical. Like hiding their cutters and pencils in my desk or on my chair so I would end up accidentally cutting myself which they thought was hilarious. They often gave me noogies too."

He demonstrated what those were specifically, sitting down at one of the desks. Seongwoo sat in the desk next to him, nodding in silent thought again about how to act out the next scene.

"Do you have any paper?"

Daniel found a pen and a receipt in his jacket pocket by chance and gave it to him. Seongwoo started writing something, then folded up the paper. He pretended like he was intently listening to a teacher lecture and taking notes.

"Nerd. You actually take notes?" Daniel laughed.

 Then, he did what he had always been good at in class and made it even easier for kids to bully him. He pretended to sleep, laying on his folded arms with his face slightly toward the front of the classroom like he was sort of paying attention in case the teacher happened to come that way. Seongwoo slipped the paper under his arm and tapped him awake.

Daniel looked over curiously but the handsome nerd next to him was absorbed in taking diligent notes again. Seongwoo glanced over as Daniel opened the note. He smiled and chuckled, covering his mouth glancing at Seongwoo. They met eyes. Seongwoo mouthed for him to quickly write a response and pass it back since class was almost over.

 The note read 'Can I take your picture to prove to all my friends that angels do exist? Let's go out for angel food cake and smoothies after class. My treat.'

'I would like that but you're more of an angel than me you know. Look in the mirror.' He wrote back.

Daniel chuckled as he folded it into an airplane with heart shaped wings and flew it onto his imaginary notebook. He looked slightly disgruntled as he scribbled messily. Then, he opened the note and sent Daniel a flirty, delighted, flattered smile that made his heart flutter and his cheeks tint. He hid his face, pretending to sleep, not wanting the nerdy student to know how much one smile and glance from him could affect him.

"Cut~" Seongwoo said, breaking the magic and slapping his hands like a slate.

He stood up and came up behind Daniel, giving him a friendly, gentle, and affectionate version of a noogie that ended up more being like a back-hug with a head cradle. Seongwoo then played with his hair and put his chin on his head, one arm wrapped casually around his chest.

"What's next?"

"Hmm, I just got an idea. There's something I imagined doing in a classroom but never got to try because I hid my feelings from everyone I was ever attracted to."

"What's that? Sure, anything you want."

 He wasn't sure if Seongwoo would be so willing to agree if he knew exactly what he was thinking. He decided to act on his fantasy, just not go all the way. He didn't want to frighten Seongwoo or force him into anything too intimate too fast.

Seongwoo gasped as Daniel spun around and pushed him back so he was sitting on the desk. Daniel was standing between his legs and his hands slammed down on the desk on both sides, slightly behind him. He was leaning forward so they were extremely close. Daniel hovered inches away from kissing him, reading his eyes carefully, asking for any sign of permission. Just as he hoped, Seongwoo's gaze quickly transformed from shocked to eager and hopeful, the tiniest bit of tempting lust making his irises grow darker.

He closed his eyes and suddenly his eyes were that stark gorgeous green Daniel found irresistible. 

"Now you're just being cruel by using your looks as a weapon," he whined in a sort of disgruntled, pained groan as he became immensely turned on. 

Seongwoo merely smirked mischievously and cocked his head in this alluring gesture as if he was asking him to come closer already.

Daniel grabbed the back of his head as he crashed their lips fiercely together. They'd never had a kiss so hot that sparked them to cling and grope each other so quickly. He blamed it on the atmosphere, the idea that doing this here of all places was extremely forbidden. Which was why he liked it. He had always had this rebellious part of him and it was clear from what he knew of Seongwoo's adventurous nature that he had one as well.

They were making out heavily, Daniel pushing Seongwoo back on the desk and laying over him, Seongwoo digging into his hair, Daniel reaching into his shirt to caress his stomach. God this is the most amazing kiss ever. He didn't want to stop. But he recalled that they were in an open classroom and what they were doing was considered illegal. Fooling around in a school if it got recorded on a cctv could get them called to a police station.

He forced himself off and pulled his lover up gently. Seongwoo was red faced and dazed with a sweet almost drunken smile.

"That's what you always wanted to try?"

"Sort of. It was part of it."

"You're a pervert, aren't you?" Seongwoo teased.

Daniel flushed and hid an embarrassed laugh behind his hand but he didn't deny it. He was tempted to lose his virginity and take away his mate's in an empty elementary school classroom after all.

 

 

The next place they went to was outside. There was a bread store next to the school and it was still open. Daniel thought for a while, looking there with a grimace.

"My mom would give me ten thousand won a week to buy snacks if I was hungry during break. Some of the bullies forced me to buy bread for them there every week so I had to always go hungry during the classes later in the day. I didn't like my mother's hard-earned money going to those jerks, so I tried refusing them several times. But they took me behind the bakery in this ally and beat me up if I did that. They would knock me down and kick me a lot so as not to leave any evidence on my face that could be easily seen."

"Those assholes!" Seongwoo suddenly exclaimed. "If I had been around them I would have scratched their eyeballs out."

"You didn't get physically bullied?" Daniel slightly chuckled, that being the first time he had heard Seongwoo seriously curse. It was adorable.

"Not by people my age anyway. I was larger and faster than most and I'm pretty good at using my claws naturally," Seongwoo dodged the subject.

Daniel got the hidden meaning. No one dared physically mess with him his age but someone older and stronger and more experienced had and he had the horrid scars from it still. His hand brushed over Seongwoo's chest where he recalled, suddenly feeling a mix of intense sadness and rage. As much as he had gotten bullied, no one had given him permanent scars, only deep emotional ones. Seongwoo was likely to have both he wasn't yet elaborating on for some reason.

"Where did you get those scars? Who gave them to you?" he asked tentatively, hoping Seongwoo would open up about it this time.

Seongwoo smiled sadly. "Someone who really shouldn't have. Anyway, what's more important than who was the reason why I got them. I was standing up for myself and what I wanted from my life and what I thought not letting myself be corrupted by the misguided prejudices my clan elders spread about. Just like you got hurt fighting for your mother."

 For a while they stood there looking at the bread. Then, Seongwoo said he was hungry and suggested they go inside and get some. They chose this green melon bread that had orange cream flavor with a very light sweet honey taste inside that Daniel said had been his favorite for years. Seongwoo paid for it after beating Daniel at rock scissors paper because both of them didn't like letting the other pay for anything. Then, he grabbed Daniel's hand and went around to the back of the building.

Daniel winced as the clear image of a little chubby boy with black hair and very slit eyes covered by glasses hid his grubby face in his arms to protect it from the tall kids kicking him, laughing, and calling him terrible names. Seongwoo noticed and squeezed his hand.

"Hyung, you should really let me treat you every once in a while. My parents give me twice as much for allowance. You should save yours for emergencies and that cool bike you wanted. Here, eat up! Break time's going to be over before you know it."

Daniel sat down next to Seongwoo and took the bread he offered. They laughed as they cheered with knocking the breads together like glasses. They took a giant bite at the same time. They looked at each other with a wide smile and popped out eyes.

"Yummy!" They both said at the same time around their full mouths.

Then, they ate another bite and wiped the cream off each other's lips. Daniel finished his first and looked over curiously at why Seongwoo had stopped.

"You full?" He asked in disbelief.

He knew there was no way that could fill the shifter's stomach. Seongwoo flashed a childish, bright smile as he watched him. He put the leftover half of bread in his hands.

 "Here. You're still hungry right? I know you can eat a whole horse," he teased.

Daniel flushed and smiled wide, chuckling. "Yeah, you're right. I probably could and still have room for ramen and ice cream that night."

 Seongwoo gave him a look similar to the one Jisung gave, suggesting that he was about to go on about how bad ramen was for his health. Daniel put some orange cream on the tip of his nose.

"Yah, you meanie!" He glared at him.

Daniel looked at the cute sight and laughed evilly. Then, he held Seongwoo's jaw as he licked the cream off and swung down to give him a melon tasting kiss.

"I think I need to fill up on you more than bread." he murmured a minute of sweet, sensual kisses later.

"Just eat~" Seongwoo pushed him back and brought Daniel's bread holding hand up to his mouth, looking incredibly flushed and embarrassed, likely suffering a heat wave thanks to him. Daniel continued to chuckle as he gobbled the snack up happily.

 Another dark memory faded and transformed before his eyes. The boy was instead with a tall, skinny pale boy with eyes and ears too big for his head, munching on bread and joking around.

 

 

After that, Daniel walked to another building, the worst of them. He was amazed out how brave he was to go there on his own accord. The dreams where this building appeared were the absolute worst and usually made him wake up crying and shivering in a cold, anxious sweat. He got a chill just walking down the empty hallway. He touched the green lockers on the left-hand wall and ran his fingers along the cool, smooth metal as he looked at the numbers.

Seongwoo followed behind him curiously and somewhat anxiously, watching as usual for any sign of some break down. Daniel had been doing well so far though as if he was determined to hold it in as long as he could.

Daniel stopped as he got to the locker he was searching for. For a while, he stared at the silver number plate and the air slits. It was rusting and flaking at the corners just like then. It didn't appear to have ever been repainted. Maybe it was empty as it had been then. The time he had been locked inside of it. He felt his heart race and panic sink over him as he imagined being inside the cold, cramped space, the darkness closing in on him and suffocating him slowly, the pain from his scrunched body cramping up and trying to pry the door open somehow.

He felt warmth along his back and stomach as Seongwoo hugged him from behind, sensing that he was recalling something particularly terrible. He sighed and stared blankly down the hallway.

"This building is where we had gym class. We usually had it by genders with several classes together. I was unlucky to have the class with almost every bully in my school that liked to pick on me. Doing sports together was bad enough because they often broke the rules and got really rough to make me bruised or bleed. At least there was the teacher who stopped them most of the time so I didn't end up with any serious injuries like broken bones. But when we had to use our lockers or the bathroom before and after class was a different story. As you can guess, this building is big and there were only a couple teachers. They couldn't monitor hundreds of kids at a time well. There were blind spots they couldn't see. My bullies took advantage of that. One day, they shut me in this locker. I was banging and yelling on it for an hour before a teacher was able to find where the sound was and call maintenance to break open the door. Since then, I've been afraid of small, dark places. I remember here and I get scared and I can't breathe. I feel like I'm going to die. That's how I felt when I was stuck in here. It was so painful and scary for a kid..."

Daniel choked up and couldn't continue. Seongwoo squeezed him tighter, not saying anything. He wasn't sure what scene he could reenact or what words he could say with Daniel to make that how away. It was simply horrific. He wondered what sort of little monsters could do that to a person.

"They must be terrible humans now," he murmured.

Daniel wiped some tears off his cheeks. "I'm sure they are. Hopefully they get what's coming to them. They should rot in hell. I'm certain they pulled the same shit with kids their whole life. Once a bully always a bully."

 Seongwoo merely nodded against his back. His heart felt like it was being squeezed painfully and for some reason he was crying. Just thinking of what Daniel had gone through at this school was really affecting him.

"My poor baby..."

Daniel chuckled. It was obvious that Seongwoo had been listening too close to Sungwoon and Jisung's phone conversations to have picked up that cheesy nickname.

"I'm alright. Let's move on. I would rather not stay here..." He wrapped his arm around Seongwoo's shoulder and Seongwoo held onto his waist tightly.

 They walked further down the hallway. Daniel was suddenly drawn as if in a trance to a bathroom at the end of the hallway. It was small and rather unclean, tissue paper on the wet, dirty floor, mold on the walls. It looked like it was rarely ever cleaned. He knew that wasn't the case. Boys were just dirty, messy, and rude so it became like that every day nearly.

 "Daniel? What happened here?"

Seongwoo got a terrible feeling looking at his tense, dark, grief-stricken face. Daniel tried to say something but he stuttered and restarted several times before he admitted.

"The most horrible thing. The reason I transferred. It's better if you don't know," he whispered in a choked tone.

He was attacked by flashes of sharp noisy images that painfully stabbed his eyes. Though he tried to fight it off. It was his worst night-mare.

 

"So, you like dick then, fatso?"

"Hey ugly piggy, want to try mine?"

 "I bet you want to terribly, you sick freak."

 Three boys punched him and kicked him all over on the floor, then they picked him up and pushed him to the wall. They pulled down his pants and pushed up his shirt. They rubbed their bodies on his bruised, scraped, bleeding skin while snickering and asked if he liked that.

"I don't! Get away! Get off me!" he shouted.

One guy slapped him across the face. Another guy took out a paper cutter and flashed it at him, then put it to his stomach.

"If you talk like that again, fatty, I will cut you, got it? We're just being nice, giving you what you want, faggot."

"Yeah, you want a dick up your ass, right? We don't mind trying it out on you. Be quiet now..."

"You be a good boy from now on, guinea pig. I'm sure you will love it enough you will be squealing, like the piggy you are."

 

 

That was the day Daniel had almost been raped. But he had put up a fight after that out of sheer panic which had ended up with him getting several rather deep cuts. He had managed to knock them out and ran away. His mother had taken him to the hospital but he couldn't say who did it out of fear. Instead, he had asked the whole thing be dropped and begged his mother to please send him to another school. He had never seen anyone from that school again thankfully. He hoped he never did because he might just kill those bullies this time and end up in jail.

Daniel quickly stepped out of there and left the building. He was shaking all over and his breathing shallow, but he felt better once he was in the cool air. Seongwoo squeezed his hand.

"That was difficult for you, right? Let's go get something warm to drink," he suggested.

"Wait a second..." Daniel squatted down and focused on breathing, trying to get himself to stop shaking and feeling panicked.

Seongwoo rubbed his shoulders and waited patiently. "It's okay if it's too hard to talk about. You can keep it to yourself. Sorry, I thought coming here would help somehow..."

Daniel stood up and hugged him. "It did, really. It was a good idea. I just shouldn't have gone into that building. You can't cover up that part. I just need to forget it ever happened. It disappears little by little over time, no worries. Just let me stay like this for a while. That will help a lot."

Seongwoo held the larger man’s weight against his chest without complaint as Daniel leaned on him resting his head on his shoulder. They stayed like that, giving and taking comfort silently, a deep understanding went through them as they both thought of the difficulties in their past that scarred them inside and out they were still struggling to get over in their own ways.

 

 

After a while, they escaped the cold winter air by heading into a cafe and got some warm caramel macchiatos, which was their favorites. They sat sipping it and gazing out the window where the strong wind was blowing gusts of colorful leaves, making it rain fall colors in a really pretty, calming fashion that seemed to  calm the storm of hurt in their chests. They held hands under the small table, continuing to share in a small form of comfort.

"Seongwoo..." Daniel spoke hesitantly.

"Yes?" Seongwoo responded softly, turning to look at his face.

The sun was shining on half of Daniel's face, making him look softer and golden.

"Why don't you open up about what happened in your village? Like how you got those scars? You've obviously been through things but you have hardly ever talked about it. I only know bits and pieces..."

 Seongwoo looked down, fiddling with the cup sleeve. He made it spin around the cup and bent the edge, chewing on his lip hesitantly. He wasn't sure how much he could tell right now. Daniel had already been through a lot today and he didn't want to dump all his painful, depressing baggage on top of that as well. He decided to just be vague for starters and see where the conversation went. He wasn't going to lie. Daniel could learn everything if he only asked the right sort of questions.

"I was always different from other shifters from the time I was born. I looked different for one. It was like I got all of the superior genes in my clan. I was faster, nimbler, smarter, wittier, bigger, more outgoing, and more attractive. I always got a lot of attention from females and males were always picking on me and competing with me because of that. I never had many friends because they all wanted something from me or were intimidated by me."

"On top of that, I had a greater than average interest in humans which isn't approved of. I often stayed longer at the human town in my human body than I was supposed to or snuck away when I went out with my family. Most shifters prefer their cat forms but I preferred my human form. I often wondered around the village in it, especially after I became an adult. My mother thought I would grow out of it. She said it was just a phase and I wasn't doing any harm. I know she was worried but she was just defending me to calm my father. He was enraged every time I did that and others mentioned that it was strange. He would ground me, take away my food, make me sleep outside, ban me from going to the village, make me do extra hard labor. He did everything he could as a punishment."

"Then, when I got older and none of that worked and the whispers about me grew more common and brought shame to our family, he started beating me. My mom stopped him as often as she could with distractions but I didn't help because I sort of egged him on. He told me horror stories of the human world that his group of revolutionists had apparently witnessed. He said that we were secretly at war with them and he was going out to save shifters that had been kidnapped for experiments. To this day, I'm not really sure what he was doing with that group. I tried to follow them one night, sure that my dad was involved in something really wrong. They discovered me and got enraged though. That's how I got the worst of my scars. They attacked me as punishment and my father was the worst of them. He told me never to follow them again or worse would happen."

"After that day, I started to rebel against my father outright. My family was scared of him so they took his side and grew distant from me. Then, rumors started going around why it had been several years since I reached adulthood but I had never mated despite I had many admirers. My mom set me up and my father pushed me onto the girls from his friends' families. I refused them all. Females were just so pushy, cruel, and stinky when they were in heat. They only saw me as an object of breeding as well, not as an individual. They didn't like me for me, they only liked my looks. I got scratched up by a lot of those that I refused because they said I hurt their pride and humiliated them. It was their decision to throw themselves at me though they knew I had rejected everyone that ever tried to court me."

"The rumors started that I liked only males and then the rumors grew that I only liked humans. I ignored it, rather than denying it. I just thought it was preposterous at the time. I had never liked anyone, so I didn't know if that was true or not. I wasn't sure what was wrong with me. Certainly, I liked humans and males in general more from what I had experienced in life. My father heard these rumors and you can imagine how upset he was. He said I was an embarrassment, a total disgrace. He gave me an ultimatum one night. I could either mate with a female of his choice or be outcasted from the clan. I didn't believe him. I was the only son. My father couldn't have any more children. He had tried for years with several other females as well as my mother but had no success after me and my older sister. He needed me to carry on his line and like I said, I had superior genes so he thought it was a waste to not have me in the clan. He wanted to use me to gain more power and influence in the clan. I refused and he took that as me confirming the rumors. Since my father hates humans with a passion, he really didn't take that well."

 "So, what happened then...?" Daniel asked, holding his breath, at the edge of his seat and gripping the table, his expression anxious.

"He beat me up and chased me out in fury. My mom stopped him from going after me further. She told me to live happily in my own way from then on and never go back."

Daniel looked extremely sad. "Do you want to go back? You must miss your family, despite of everything."

"There's nothing for me to go back to. I will never be accepted or appreciated there. Even if my father magically changed his opinions, it would be years before that was possible with the rest of the clan. They are so old fashion and stuck in their ways. There's too much deeply engraved hatred towards humans for whatever reason, probably just pure fear and envy. I don't miss my family either. I wasn't close to my mom or sister, like I said, not after I hit my teenage years. They ignored me and took my dad's side out of fear of him."

"So, you're telling me they just stood by as your father abused you because you were different and didn't agree with his thoughts? What kind of family is that? Can you really call that a family?" Daniel nearly shouted, fiercely banging his fist on the table.

 It startled Seongwoo and made him jump. He decided then that he would stop the story there for now. Daniel would certainly be worse off hearing that his mother was gone at his father's hands and a part of him was still haunted by the thought of those hateful, bright yellow eyes he recalled glaring at him murderously from the forest. He could only hope that his father didn't care enough about his line to try to find him and drag him back. He was pretty sure his father and his groups tracking skills weren't good enough to find him in this crowded city that was hours away from their village if he recalled their car trip, but he wasn't the best at unconsciously sensing the flow of time.

"No wonder you have no plans to go back. Don't worry about a thing. As far as a home goes you can stay with me forever and as for family, I'm going to adopt you into mine. I don't know how long we should wait but eventually I'm going to tell my family all about us. They will accept you and love you I know it. You're the most loveable being in the universe. It's dangerous though, so we should keep your special identity secret. Next time we come to Busan, I promise to introduce you as my best friend and we will start the transfer to my family from there, okay?"

The way Daniel held his hand was the warmest, sweetest touch ever, but it was something more than physical. It was on an emotional deeper level. He was reaching in and touching a raw scar that had barely been healing and literally erasing it right away with his kind words. Wouldn't that be nice? A loving, compassionate fully accepting family that was actually there for me and taking my side no matter what. One that would make me happy rather than constantly hurt, shamed, depressed, and angry.

Seongwoo squeezed his hand with a soft smile. "That sounds like a great idea. I hope that we can come here again soon."

"How about Christmas? We have a break then," Daniel suggested.

Seongwoo nodded, smiling brightly. Then, he asked what Christmas was and their topic totally changed as Daniel returned to teacher mode.

 

 

“Mom, I can’t possibly put anymore in. It’s going to spill,” Daniel said, looking horrified as she brought over another tupperware box full of sidedishes.

“Nonsense. You just don’t know how to pack.” She tsked her tongue.

While his mom took everything out of his suitcase to rearrange it so the food boxes would all fit, he went around the house searching for Seongwoo.

“Seongwoo, Peter, Rooney? Where are you?”

Daniel laughed as he saw Seongwoo bound off his bed, Peter and Rooney darting out from under his desk and on the window sill behind the curtain. They made excited bird-like chirping sounds as they chased him.

“Oppa, you’re so fast!”

“Wah, he’s like a rocket ship!”

"You two are just slow!"

Seongwoo laughed as he flew around the house like a bat out of hell. They had been playing one last game of chase before he and Daniel had to get going. Seongwoo was going to miss his new friends. They were becoming more like sisters than his real sister was. Although, when he was younger, him and his sister had actually played like this quite often. She was much faster than Rooney and Peter actually. Seongwoo missed those times and felt just a bit sad at having to leave soon. He was rather enjoying his cat body currently.

“Seongwoo, woah there, you’re going to get hurt,” Daniel caught him just as he slipped down the back of the couch and almost fell.

He held the cat and kissed his head while he meowed in complaint. Daniel carried him around slung over one arm, keeping him captive, as he fixed the magazines, flower vases, books, and figurines the cats had knocked over.

“Sorry Peter, sorry Rooney, looks like I can’t play anymore,” Seongwoo told them with a pout.

The cats circled around Daniel, looking up sadly and meowing back.

“Oh, just five more minutes, Dan~ Let us have some fun, don't be a grump. That's not like you.”

“Please, Dan. We like Seongwoo oppa. Just three more minutes. We won’t knock things over this time. Promise~”

“Okay, okay. You girls win. You like your Seongwoo oppa that much, huh?” Daniel chuckled and gave in before the cats waged war on him and tore a hole in his pants.

Seongwoo meowed excitedly as he was put down on the floor. The three cats started wrestling around and biting and batting at each other’s tails. Daniel sat down and playfully scratched and bat at them as well. They teamed up to attack his hands and then when he laid on the floor, they pounced on him, biting at his clothes and fingers.

“All done. Stop playing around with the cats, Niel. You’ve got to get going in five minutes if you want to catch your train back. Unless you’re planning to stay longer? You can clean up the mess from these furballs this time.”

Daniel sat up, regretfully untangling himself from the funny, playful, clingy cats. He picked up Seongwoo and brought him to his mom.

“Sorry, I will clean up as soon as I visit the next time. Take care of them and give them lots of love for me.”

"Of course, as always."

They hugged and pecked, then his mother turned to Seongwoo. She smiled softly and scratched behind his ears. Seongwoo pressed into her hand and purred, his green eyes half closing with sheer bliss. 'It was nice meeting you, mom, thank you for raising such a wonderful boy' he seemed to be saying.

“Sure you don’t want to take one of them home? Why don’t you leave Seongwoo with me? I wouldn't mind taking care of him at all,” she suggested.

Daniel couldn’t believe his ears. In just two days, Seongwoo had made his animal anti-fan mother like him enough to voluntarily adopt him.

“No can do. Without Seongwoo, my college life would be depressing. He’s what keeps me happy and sane.”

‘Same here,’ the Bengal cat seemed to meow back, looking up at him.

His mother chuckled. “What a bond you two have already. It’s almost like you’re talking to each other.”

Daniel flushed. Seongwoo hid his head in his chest in embarrassment. They were actually talking to each other, after all. Daniel realized his mother was much too observant. If they lived with her, it would probably take her half the time it had taken Jisung to realize that Seongwoo was a supernatural being.

“Love you, mom. See you during the holidays.”

“Take care, son. Love you to the moon and back…”

“And every star, meteor, and cloud between,” he finished, giving her a longer hug.

Then, he put Seongwoo in his carrier and his mother waved goodbye at the small door to him. Daniel rushed out the door with the heavy suitcase and carrier, feeling like his arms were going to fall off.

“Seongwoo, how much have you been eating these days? You’re so heavy,” he complained with a grimace, his body actually tilting on the side with Seongwoo.

‘Hey, are you calling me fat now? I certainly hope not,’ Seongwoo meowed with offense.

"Sorry, pretty boy. I kind of sort of was calling you fat there, but I weigh more than you by far so that wasn't very of me."

He lifted up the carrier and opened the door, pressing his pursed lips in for kisses. Seongwoo turned his nose up and to the side as if to ignore him.

"I love you to the moon and back as well."

Seongwoo purred as he gently pressed their lips together, enjoying it even if they were in totally different bodies now. 'And every star, meteor, and cloud between.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, hi~ I know this chapter is quite angsty but it is not the angst arc I am telling about. That will start from Chapter 31. So you still have one more fluffy, comical chapter~
> 
> I liked the idea of Ong learning about Daniel and getting him to open up so he could help him heal and at the same time they made 'school' memories of a time they couldn't have met but wished they did. I wanted to give you guys a bit of a glimpse at how Ongniel would be in school. This isn't important to the plot but it's necessary for character development and for backstory. Now you know a lot more detail about the scars and dark parts of Ongniel's pasts that gave them their traumas and made them sort of run away in different ways. This is the reason that Daniel has troubles being open in public or with his friends even after he likes someone. Also, this is the reason for Seongwoo really leaving home and his scars. Maybe it was difficult for you to read about, but I hope you realize how strong and positive they are because and despite of this. Because I think real life Ongniel are incredibly strong, positive, emotionally sound people and I am sure it's because they have gone through various hardships and troubles in their lives.
> 
> Tell me what you thought of the chapter. There was a bit of fluff, sexy, and family stuff mixed in there to ease up some of the darker parts of this chapter. It was a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions I expect. Sorry if I made you cry and brought up any difficult memories during your school days. Still, I hope I didn't make anyone cry too much there. Originally, I didn't have the goodbye part there but as I got some more requests to see cat interactions and mom-dan interactions, I put it in sort of last minute. I hope that's sort of what you guys were looking for.
> 
> See you in a week. Next chapter involves some more steamy Ongniel and some triple date and Onglin and such. Lots of things. It's sort of a random chapter but slightly important to plot. I put it in as a cushion before the angst arc comes. 
> 
> Comments, kudos, and recommends much appreciated! Thank you so much for those still reading this novel~ 
> 
>  
> 
> <3 Raina


	30. Alpha and Beta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel gets jealous of Ong being close to Guanlin, them making up and being fluffy, Nielsung interaction, Daniel learning about 'alphas', and Seongwoo learning about how to seduce his alpha into mating. At home while they are fooling around, Seongwoo has a huge heat wave and nearly loses his virginity despite Daniel fighting him off and resisting the best he can.

"Ong Sung Ong Sung, Ong Sungwoo, annyunghaseyong~"

 Guanlin threw his arm over Seongwoo's shoulder while Seongwoo was monitoring his pictures. Him and Jihoon had started getting requests to take photos together. He had some shots with Guanlin scheduled later on too which Daniel had asked him to refuse but then changed his mind about when he saw how much the magazine offered.

"Are you a rapper?" Seongwoo asked curiously.

"No, that's just my swag. Why baby, you like it? Because you are fine and I totally dig you. Let's get it," he flirted with a sexy grin.

 It was lost on Seongwoo. He cocked his head left, muttering, "Is that Korean? I don't understand half of what you said..."

 Guanlin chuckled and shook his head. "Never mind. I don't think your dull human would appreciate me teaching you the art of swag."

 "Swag?" He cocked his head right.

Guanlin stopped him from taking out his phone to look it up. "You don't have to know everything, trust me. Especially you probably shouldn't look up much of what I say."

"Okay..."

 "So, how is life going? Winter is coming you know. You feeling alright?"

"I am fine. Just a cold..."

Guanlin felt his head which was often hot. "You better mate soon, Seongwoo. I have never seen symptoms like this. If you haven't been mating in three years, I think that it's going to be really bad soon. Why don't you seduce him?"

"Actually, we almost mated because he knows my mating symptoms are worse but I stopped him."

"Why on earth would you? You want to be sick for weeks more? You planning on being a virgin all your life? Because seriously Seongwoo, I wouldn't recommend it. Human sex is fantastic. And all your pain will fly right away."

 Seongwoo blushed. "It's just that I don't want to rush it. We just got better. I feel like we need more time."

"I don't think you have much time. Maybe a week before you start losing your mind and wanting to hump anything you see."

"Eh, I've never been that bad."

"Trust me on the full moon if you're in a really bad cycle, it gets like that. You might end up losing your virginity to some stranger."

"I can't have that. It absolutely has to be Daniel," Seongwoo gasped.

"Then you need to seduce him. Tonight. Remember that bathrobe idea? I will add something spicy it..."

Guanlin brought him close and started whispering.

 

 

 

 Daniel stretched and smiled. "Yes, this stupid homework is finally done!"

He didn't want to see numbers anymore. He was seriously so sick of them and regretting choosing this major just because it guaranteed a job in the future. 

He needed to heal his sore eyes with something pretty and there was nothing prettier than his superhumanly ethereal beauty of a cat shifter boyfriend in the middle of modeling.

However, the thing that was in his sight was ugly and made him see red a furious color. He had been doing his work longer than he thought seeing as Seongwoo was done with the shoot. Guanlin, his arch enemy, had his arm around Seongwoo, whispering really close to his ear. They looked like intimate lovers.

Daniel called Jihoon on his phone. "Hey, where are you? Come control your casanova boyfriend. He's hitting on Seongwoo again and I am going to punch him in literally twenty seconds unless you stop me," he spat when the guy answered the phone.

He glared at the two with his fists balled after hanging up the phone, counting down from twenty. They stayed in that same position oblivious to him. With the way he was flashing that irritating smirk, Dani guessed the handsome chick shifter was saying something dirty as usual. Seongwoo was blushing and grinning, occasionally giggling and blinking in that cute way he had.

 He grit his teeth and dug his heels as Guanlin slid his hand to Seongwoo"s lower back, counting from ten.

"Eight seconds to spare your asshole chick's life Jihoon..." He growled.

Jihoon charged out from the bathroom a few seconds later, jumping on Guanlin and splitting the two up. He glanced anxiously at Daniel across the room and then turned to Guanlin.

"Jihoon, what's with that suddenly? Did something happen in the bathroom? Is there another stalker fan trying to take you or feel you up? I will kick their ass if you're hurt..." Guanlin felt all over his body with worry.

 "Lin Lin~ I just missed you," Jihoon smiled and giggled as if it was ticklish, shaking his head.

"Aw, I miss you every second we're a part too baby~ you are sweet enough to get cavities," Guanlin replied with a touched look, pulling him in for a big tender hug.

Over his shoulder, Jihoon flashed a questioning look at Daniel with an okay sign. Daniel's anger had partially faded enough to give a half smile and thumbs up. Seongwoo looked between them, trying to figure it all out. His senses picked up that something had to deal with Daniel but he couldn't be sure of the details.

"Seongwoo, you're done?" Daniel turned to Seongwoo with a much wider smile.

Though Seongwoo could see there was something he found extremely irritating and was bothering him that he was barely able to hide. He nodded and ran over to Daniel. Not caring about if his friends were looking or if Daniel complained about public displays, he decided he wanted to give him skinship to cheer him up. Anyway, that hardly ever happened after their healing trip to his school. Daniel seemed pretty much over his aversion to being open about his orientation. He sat down on Daniel's lap and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. The human looked delightfully surprised, accepting his hug.

 "What's wrong?" Seongwoo asked softly.

 Daniel continued to smile, feigning innocence. "Nothing."

Seongwoo playfully narrowed his eyes. "Seems like there's something you're not telling me."

 "What were you talking about with Guanlin earlier then?" Daniel replied in a challenging tone.

 "Nothing..." This time Seongwoo was the one to act innocent.

 Daniel smiled and chuckled. "Seems like we're both hiding something then,so it’s even."

"It's not something bad. I promise I will show you later. It's sort of a surprise plan."

Well, I do like surprises. I only hope the surprise doesn't involve that chicken burger, Guanlin.

"Well I think it's probably best if I don't tell you mine. It wasn't a good thing."

 Seongwoo pouted and shook him, whining cutely. "My Niel wouldn't do anything bad. You're an angel fallen from heaven."

"You heard that from Sungwoon, huh?" He smirked.

"Yup! I learned it in a joke too. Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?"

"Oh, cute joke there. I like it."

"You like it?" He asked brightly, lighting up like a Christmas tree.

Daniel held him close and nodded, then leaned in to peck his cheek. Seongwoo was so irresistibly adorable, even sexier these days as well. He wanted to kiss him and touch him all the time. He held himself back when they slept together but it was extremely difficult.

His mind kept replaying that relief session they had when they were alone together. He felt like he was almost ready to do it if they got the chance but then he was waiting for Seongwoo to think things through and be ready himself. He still wasn't sure why the shifter was hesitating all of a sudden though. 

Seongwoo told him several cheesy jokes he had learned from their friends over the week. Daniel just enjoyed hugging him and looking at his vivid, lovely smile, laughing along with him at every corny joke, sometimes trying to guess the joke before it came.

Then, Jihoon came over and put his arms around Seongwoo, laying his head on top of the pillows of brunette waves.

"We are all done here. How about we go out for a date?"

"Well, we were supposed to meet Sungwoon and Jisung for a double date..." Daniel was giving him a warning look but Seongwoo didn't understand what he wanted. "I guess we can make it a triple date."

"That sounds like fun!"

 "Are you sure about Sungwoon around Guanlin though? He may go all fanboy and steal all your time."

 "That's okay. We have our whole lives together. Who cares if I don't have his full attention for an hour?"

"Silly shifters making my life difficult..." Daniel then grumbled, sinking back in the chair.

 "Excuse me?"

 "What did we do?"

They both picked his comment up with their super hearing and turned to him to complain with similar, pouty expressions. Daniel insisted he didn't mean anything by it but Jihoon picked up why right away and spilled the beans.

"Ah, you don't want Guanlin around Seongwoo, is that it? Because of earlier. I'm sure it's just a big misunderstanding, Niel. Did you ask Seongwoo what they were whispering about?"

Seongwoo turned to him with a sad face. "That's what you're so upset about? I told you it's a surprise."

 "I wasn't upset because you were talking. I was upset because..." Daniel muttered, kicking at the ground.

Seongwoo squeezed his shoulder, waiting and encouraging him to go on, but he just couldn't admit that he had gone insanely jealous at the sight of Guanlin being intimate with him.

"Ah, I see. Daniel may be human but he's really got thick alpha blood. If he was a mountain dog, he would be the head of the pack I suppose."

Jihoon nodded thoughtfully scratching his chin. "Ah, he's an alpha type. Makes sense."

 Daniel scrunched up his face. "What are you guys talking about? Is this alpha thing an insult?"

Jisung explained.  "It's an animal shifter thing. Guanlin is more of an Omega type. He is cool with anyone. You, on the other hand, are an alpha type. Confident, proud, easily jealous, and very territorial."

 "That doesn't sound like me..." He lied, making both shifters chuckle.

 Seongwoo pet his hair with affection. "It's okay. I am more of a beta type."

Jihoon giggled and bumped his arm. "Ooh, perfect for alpha types~"

 "What's that?" Daniel butted in curiously.

 "The sort of animal or shifter that's very loyal to one mate and doesn't fool around elsewhere. The sort that would sacrifice their own life for their alpha. They're rare."

"Huh? What is this nonsense? It's like you two are speaking a whole nother language..." He griped.

 

 

Later on in the cafe with Jisung and Sungwoon, the topic was broached again. Jisung teased Daniel for not knowing that.

"It's basic animal hierarchy. what sort of basic things did you learn in biology?"

"Things about humans only apparently."

 "Anyway, what do you think of our theory?" Jihoon asked.

Jisung looked at Daniel and nodded. "From what I have seen, he is definitely alpha material."

 "Is that bad?" Daniel sighed, scratching his head.

Seongwoo noticed and reached up to scratch behind his head, thinking he sort of really reminded him of a dog with flees now.

 "Every guy wanted to be the alpha. He's the best fighter, he gets the respect, he gets the looks of all the ladies. He's all powerful pretty much."

 "I don't know about that but I guess I'm flattered you think this way..." He blushed further when he looked over at Seongwoo who was staring at him with love struck eyes and a goofy grin.

"Hmm, my alpha. Such a handsome one too..."

 "Okay, this is weirding me out. I am a human. Just a normal one who likes dancing and sucks at math. Let's drop the subject. And Seongwoo please snap out of it and be your normal self. You're creeping me out."

Daniel jokingly ruffled his hair and pinched his freckled cheek. Seongwoo shook his head, almost as if snapping out of a funk.

The group had their coffees as they switched to other topics, ranging from school to work to their pasts. Sungwoon didn't know about the shifters yet so they kept certain things vague but they continued to learn more about each other. Like that Jihoon liked to box and Guanlin was learning how to rap. Sungwoon they learned was actually writing poetry and Jisung was trying to get a driver's license though he had failed the test several times.

Daniel listened, thankful the topic was no longer about him. He fed Seongwoo forkfuls of cake when Seongwoo wasn't involved in the conversation. Seongwoo would absently open his mouth to take it in and then smile blink and bounce up and down with happiness at the taste. It was like he forgot what it tasted like and every bite experienced the first anew.

Seongwoo was observing the more mature couples and judging how they interacted during their talk. He hoped that he could do those sorts of intimate things as comfortably as they did someday soon. However, he knew that intimacy was a natural thing that occurred only after mating for a long time. 

Sungwoon was always touching Jisung in this sweet yet possessive way, often his shoulders, wrists, and thighs. They also shared secretive smiles like they were telepathically communicating and finished each other's sentences when talking about each other.

Guanlin sat close to Jihoon so a part of them were always touching and they seemed synchronized, maybe because of that. They looked at each other, reached for their coffees, put down their coffees, and even spoke at the same time. Guanlin was great at predicting when clumsy Jihoon was about to hurt himself or have an accident. He moved his drink just before he knocked his elbow into it nearly, he pushed his chair when it started falling back, he shielded his knee from bumping the table by cushioning it with his hand. Jihoon was truly accident prone and Guanlin acted like his guardian angel or body guard. Sort of like Daniel did for him but on a whole nother level. 

He envied their natural intimacy and how they could read each other so well. He hoped someday Daniel would be able to save him from accidents, they moved in sync, and they could finish each other's sentences.

 

 

After the group date was over, Jisung told Daniel that he would be sleeping over at Sungwoon's since his roommate was going to be working all night.

 "Wait, you mean...me and Seongwoo will be... That is to say, we will be alone...all night...?"

Jisung watched as the blonde hid a big smile behind his hand and his face turned pink. He nudged Daniel and teased him. "What are you thinking of, old man? You must be thinking of doing something dirty..."

"No no never," he insisted, waving his hands in an exaggerated fashion that was a dead giveaway he was lying.

"Just kidding~" Jisung giggled, ruffling his hair. "I am leaving on purpose. You guys need some alone time. I heard about how Seongwoo's sickness is connected to not ever having sex. Usually I wouldn't approve with someone so innocent but it's hard seeing him in pain, so if that's the relief you need, I will give you guys as much space as I can. Go get him tiger~"

 Daniel blushed further and brushed the back of his neck. He really couldn't believe what he was hearing Jisung cheering him to have sex with his baby and degrade his pure body forever. That was how desperate this situation was and how Jisung worried about Seongwoo being ill off and on these days.

"I will, uh, do my best..."

"You should make it good for him though. I don't want to hear any horror stories from him later. If you need some pointers before going about it, this is your last chance."

 He hesitated, face flaming more chewing at his lip. Then, he decided to just go for it and throw away all his pride.

"Actually, I do have a few questions I am confused on..."

Jisung took him a sort of hug with a beaming smile. "You came to the right person for counseling. Go ahead and spill..."

Seongwoo came out and heard the last bit of Daniel and Jisung's secret conversation. He heard something about positioning and from what it sounded like Daniel was talking to Jisung about mating. He hid behind a vending machine and slightly snickered, listening to the rest. 

Danielwas asking about if it was less painful from the top or the bottom or the side. Seongeoo flushed as he imagined that. He wanted to try with Daniel on his top or vice versa just because animals always seemed to do it from the back and he wanted to try it the most human way as possible. Anyway, Guanlin had told him all ways felt good and were pretty easy and comfortable to perform with the human body, so he wasn't really concerned. He would get Daniel to take him any way he could get him.

 

 

"I will shower first. You stay warm take your medicine and tea." Daniel ordered Seongwoo and pecked him on the forehead before he went into the bathroom.

As he showered, all Daniel could think about was what he would do if Seongwoo asked him to have sex tonight. His heart was racing just thinking about it. The nerves made him knock half the stuff off the shelves, making a racket. Seongwoo called through the door if he was alright and he called back that he was fine but just slipped. He cursed his clumsy hands as he rightened all the bottles.

How are these clumsy hands going to possibly bring enough pleasure when I have no experience whatsoever?

Worrying about smelling nice, he washed his hair and body again. He made sure to change just outside of the bathroom where Seongwoo couldn't see him. Though Seongwoo had pretty much seen him completely naked as a cat and even once or twice as a human. Still, he thought it was just proper manners.

 Seongwoo was just finishing his tea and bringing it to the kitchen area when Daniel stepped out into the room area, toweling his hair.

 "I'm going to shower."

Daniel blushed at the thought of Seongwoo naked in the other room and so he avoided eye contact, less the other sense his dirty thoughts and feel pressured. Just because they were alone all night didn't necessarily mean that Seongwoo was going to even want to do it anyway. Maybe he didn't even think of Jisung being gone as anything special compared to any other day he was at work.

"Hmm. Take your time. The steam should help with your cough and sore throat."

 "Daniel..." He stopped Daniel from going farther with a touch of his arm.

Daniel looked at him curiously, worried there was something wrong like he felt like he suddenly had to puke.

"I am feeling fine today. So, if you're feeling good too, then I'm up for...for anything..."

 Then, he blushed and headed quickly for the bathroom. Daniel stood gazing at the door in shock. 

He couldn't have...My sweet, innocent baby couldn't possibly just have suggested we.... Nah, no way.

 

 

 Seongwoo went through everything that Guanlin had instructed as he showered. He cleaned his body really well and made his mouth minty fresh with a bunch of toothpaste. After he was done, he sprayed scented body mist, the citrusy kind that Daniel liked, all over his body, especially more around his neck arms and lower regions. 

Then, instead of changing, he wore Jisung's white bath robe. He adjusted it carefully like Guanlin said. It had to be kept loose with much of his chest showing and the knot the easily untieable kind. The way he walked, he needed to show his legs through the bottom slit as well. 

He went out, toweling his hair after he half transformed. He had to walk and act like he was the sexiest person in the world.

I'm too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my pants, so sexy it hurts~

 Daniel sensed something was different as soon as the door opened. The smell was intoxicating and caught his attention. But what kept his attention was the sensual, beautiful half human in front of him. Seongwoo was in only a bathrobe, his pale skin glistening with moisture and exposed in too many places. His ears were out and his hair damp.

Seongwoo sat down in front of the mirror, not aware of the person staring at him from the bed. He got the hairdryer and started drying his hair. As Guanlin had said, he made a slightly seductive expression, often licking or chewing on his lips and stroked his exposed chest like he was itchy often crossing and uncrossing his legs as he blew his hair and ears dry.

 Daniel watched with his mouth wide open, following every subtle movement those long, graceful limbs made and traveling back to his pretty face reflected in the mirror. He was wearing an expression that Seongwoo had only given him once before back when they first made out but clearly this was an upgraded version. Once he noticed Seongwoo's reflection though, Daniel was mesmerized much more so than by his body and milky, glistening skin. Seongwoo had half transformed for some reason and those eyes and ears did something strange to his senses.

He was always a cute, sort of sexy but when he saw those floppy ears and those stark green eyes, he felt like his heart was stolen by a siren. Right now, Seongwoo was irresistible.

Daniel groaned as he watched his face, Seongwoo giving this sensual expression and his hand stroking his throat like he was in the middle of some magical orgasm. Just how good was that hair drier feeling that he looks like that, dang~? He wanted to be that hair drier, that robe even, the chair he was sitting on. Anything to touch Seongwoo. His body was on fire, tense, and sensitive the blood pulled all to one area so he couldn't think straight.

"Seongwoo..." He whined, pressing into his lap to relieve some of the ache because he felt like he was going to go crazy if someone didn't touch there right now.

Seongwoo eyes met him through the mirror and he groaned with lust again. Looking in those eyes was killer. When he opened his eyes again, Seongwoo was smirking with amusement and if he wasn't mistaken, his pupils dilated and eyes lidded with desire as well.

 "What's wrong Daniel? You don't look well..." he asked with concern, pulling out his excellent acting skills to hide the effects of the horny symptoms hitting him at Daniel's groan which he knew meant Daniel was ready to mate.

"Nothing. I think I caught your cold..." Daniel muttered, crawling under the blanlets and facing the wall. He let out a few fake coughls.

"Oh no. Serious? Let me check for a fever."

Seongwoo crawled on the bed and pulled the blankets back, rolling him over. Daniel would have been brought to his knees at the sight of him if he had been standing up. The way Seongwoo was positioned on the bed and leaning over to touch his forehead exposed his chest all the way to his belly button and one entire thigh just about to the very top. If he shifted a bit, the whole robe was going to slip left, revealing the center of his body. He sat on his hands which were tempted to untie the string.

"Hmm, I can't tell with just my hands..." Seongwoo hummed.

Daniel inhaled sharply as Seongwoo climbed over him and pressed their foreheads together. He was just an inch away from those hypnotizing eyes and he inhaled the heavenly citrusy scent mixed with water and Seongwoo's natural smell.

"Seongwoo, I'm not sure if you know what you are doing, but you are torturing me and headed down a dangerous path, pretty boy..." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, sitting harder on his hands.

"I do know exactly what I'm doing. I am making you horny on purpose. This is your surprise, Niel. Guanlin told me how I could seduce you earlier. Sorry I couldn't tell you, but really there was no reason to get jealous, my alpha," Seongwoo giggled and licked his lip. 

 "Stupid Guanlin. He's really getting on my last nerve. Enough to make some chicken nuggets I swear," Daniel cursed, his eyes darkening as they followed his tongue and lingered at his mouth even after it was long gone.

 "And why are you seducing me exactly? Hopefully you're not sick of me and trying to get rid of me by giving me a heart attack..."

 Seongwoo chuckled and lay on the bed, fixing his hair and absently petting it. Daniel closed his eyes to enjoy the feeling. He was scared to open his eyes, not until he heard if Seongwoo's motive was innocent or not. He couldn't risk attacking him if it wasn't what he wanted tonight.

 "Does it work that well? I guess he's a genius at this."

"Answer the question please Seongwoo..." He groaned, sounding tortured.

He was sitting fiercely on his hands and keeping his eyes shut tight.

 "I wanted to seduce you because...well, I want it to be tonight. Let's mate, Daniel."

"Shit... You serious?" He rolled over and opened his eyes in shock.

Seongwoo had actually said what he had been wanting yet also slightly dreading to hear! Then, he was hit with a wave of desire and shock yet again as his eyes took in Seongwoo. He was laying on his side with the top part of the robe pulled off his shoulders and the bottom part only covering his pelvic area with his legs tilted up and parts of his hip and the side cheek of his bottom exposed. Daniel was able to see ninety percent of his body now. It was so silky smooth, white, glistening and beautifully shaped, minus the scars on his chest.

 Seongwoo watched him with an amused, slightly shy smile and tinted cheeks. "You cursed, Daniel. I get a kiss now..."

He gave a seductive look and tapped his lip for a kiss, then beckoned him over.

"What demon has Guanlin put into you and may he never take it out..." Daniel whispered, scooting closer and reaching for his gorgeous lover who was asking him to make love to him finally.

He gently kissed him and grazed the scars that he could feel on his chest and then his shoulders. He moved down to kiss them after a while as if to wipe them all away. They had obviously hurt, been deep, and inflicted with things very sharp, likely the claws and teeth marks of a very large adult cat intending to seriously injure if not kill him. To think, his own father and clan members did this...

 Seongwoo brushed his hair with care and pecked his head, allowing him to explore his scars silently. Then, Daniel moved away from the things that made him sad and angry on to the things that made him blissfully happy and horny. He kissed, nipped and licked along Seongwoo's neck while he fingered his velvety ears.

 Seongwoo moaned in catlike pleasure, his body shivering and his legs switching as he stretched on the bed. Daniel sucked his sweet spot and fingered his ear, one hand slipping down his stomach under the robe and stroking the warm, soft area. Seongwoo cried out his name, arching his back. Daniel sucked and fingered more as he slipped his hand to hold his member and gently caress it. Seongwoo grew flushed sweaty and panting. He started groaning as if in pain.

"The heat wave has come, ah it's really bad... Please don't stop, relieve me now..." He begged.

Daniel pulled back, looking at him in surprise. He had never seen Seongwoo this red or sweaty. His whole body was writhing and he was grimacing as if he was in immense pain.

"Why did you stop? Please Daniel... Relieve me..."

Seongwoo opened his eyes. They were still green but mixed more with yellow and seeming hazy as if he wasn't in his right mind right now. Seongwoo whined, pressing Daniel's hand to his body and rolling his hips.

"Ah, it hurts. Daniel please... I need you... Don't you want me..."

"Seongwoo are you okay? You don't seem yourself. I don't think we should do it when you're sick. You should make a rational choice to..."

"Please, just please, take me Daniel, make me yours, I can't stand the pain much longer..." he cried and shivered.

"Okay, shh. Seongwoo, shh... I will help you. Calm down a bit..."

He held the boy as he pumped his shaft. As soon as he did, then Seongwoo moaned with a blissful smile.

"Ah, it feels much better already. Thank you. Keep touching me until this dreaded sperm is out. You have to give me an orgasm, okay? Or I might lose my mind..."

 "Jesus Seongwoo, it's really getting worse. Are you sure if we mate it will stop?" Daniel murmured with concern.

 "I have heard so. Please let's do it..." He whined sweetly.

 "Well if you're sure..."

And you are yourself not a sex crazed person.

"I'm sure, Daniel. Please hurry before it comes back worse..."

 Seongwoo had never felt symptoms this terrible. He had almost been tempted to force Daniel to have sex with him there. Maybe Guanlin had not been exaggerating. He needed to get rid of his virginity before the full moon came out. If he didn't and the heat waves were worse than this, he might lose his virginity for anyone or he would force Daniel and then hardly recall their first time he had been looking forward to so much. They needed to hurry while he was still conscious.

 

(author's note: mature rating from here)

 

Daniel opened the robe and kissed down his chest. Seongwoo gasped when he took his penis into his mouth. He had seen it often and was always wondering how it felt. It was exquisite. 

Daniel did as he had learned, though he forgot half of it in his excitement to please and touch Seongwoo as he had always fantasized. He just let his instinct take over, doing anything that came to his mind impulsively. He caressed his stomach and hips and thighs as he bobbed deep, sucking and licking at him like a popsicle but finding it much more delicious. Seongwoo arched his back and rolled into him, letting out erotic, soft moans and calling his name through excited pants.

"Ah, coming close, Daniel, more please..."

Daniel sucked harder and moved his head faster, gripping his pert bottom, helping him rock into his mouth with jerky thrusts.

"Ah..." he cried as he burst.

Daniel swallowed the warm, slightly bitter, sperm curiously tasting it. It tasted better than he imagined.

"Seongwoo, are you okay?" Daniel climbed up and brushed his cheek.

"Hmm, I'm wonderful..." he smiled.

I have finally found the only thing in the world more addicting than kisses. Halleluah, praise the Lord for creating orgasms...

Daniel chuckled and pecked him. Seongwoo grabbed his arms and pulled him closer.

"Don't go. That's not all. I know from your porn..."

"Can you not mention those now? I won't be able to perform..." He groaned, flushing with humiliation.

 "Do it like they do. Those people seem to really enjoy it."

 "They're actors though, Seongwoo. Even if they don't like it or it's painful, they fake that they love it," he admitted.

Seongwoo's face fell. "Oh..."

 "It could hurt a lot. You may not enjoy it at all. That's what I have been worried about. I have been studying but I may not be any good still. Since it will be my first time as well. I'm sorry in advance if it's not all you wish for..."

Seongwoo shook his head and brushed his cheek. "It will be wonderful even if it hurts. Because it's you. Because I love you and we are perfect together."

 "Yes, I think we really are," Daniel smiled and let himself be pulled in for a sweet kiss.

They made out slow and hot as he stroked Seongwoo's body and then started prepping his hole with wet fingers. Seongwoo found it uncomfortable at first but pleasant as time went on.

"I think you're stretched out enough. Shall we give it a go?" He asked, still moving his fingers inside in the way he had researched.

 Seongwoo bit his lip, feeling nervous, and nodded awhile later. Daniel returned to kissing him as he pulled Seongwoo's legs around his hips and maneuvered his penis to Seongwoo's entrance. He kissed Seongwoo more to distract from the pain and ran over how to do the next part carefully in detail in his mind. He was shaking and his heart was racing from sheer nerves Seongwoo held tight around Daniel's neck and closed his eyes tight, trying not to squeal from his own uncontrollable nerves. All he could think about was that there was going to pain and he wasn't sure he was ready for it. Maybe he shouldn't have come first. That could have been a problem since he wasn't near as horny and desperate to have Daniel inside of him now. He felt a hard, smooth, warm thing at his entrance which must be Daniel's baby making stick.

Oh my god, that has to go in me? Isn't it too big? How is it even possible to not hurt? His body didn't seem to stretch as much as it should like on those videos. They made it look so easy and pleasurable. His body was resisting letting Daniel in at all. He had only gone an inch or so when he felt searing pain. Then, his friend Jinyoung's voice came into his mind.

"If you mate with a human, you will gradually lose your ability to transform. After a certain amount of times mating, you will not be able to transform at all. You will be shunned by your family. You will have to live as a human forever."

Am I okay with that? Living as a model? Never seeing my family again? My mother could still be alive and I didn't have such a bad relationship with my sister. I wouldn't mind seeing them once and if I go back it certainly can't be as a half shifter or a human. I really want to be one with Daniel but there's consequences.

He didn't know if it was from the pain or from his indecision about giving up his family and his cat form forever, but tears stung his eyes.

Seongwoo grit his teeth, willing himself to hold back, deal with the pain, and push aside his doubts. He had already decided this. The most important thing in his life was Daniel, they both wanted this, they both wanted not to be teased about being virgins, mating would bring them closer and it was the only way to relieve the pain of his heat waves.

So, why couldn't he bring himself to go through with it? He teared up more as Daniel slowly slipped further and further in. Seongwoo sniffled and shoved at Daniel's shoulders all of a sudden, trying to push him away.

"Stop! No more, don't go in any further, please!"

 

(mature rating done, for now ^^)

 

 

Daniel immediately pulled out of his body with slight regret. Then, he watched with concern as Seongwoo burst into tears, covering his flushed face. He hugged him tight and shhed him.

He reassured in a soft, kind tone, "You got scared, huh? It's okay. You don't need to feel ashamed. I'm sorry if it was hurting."

"I can’t do it. I'm not ready. I'm sorry for leading you on and getting you excited for no reason."

 He sniffled, burrowing into his chest and squeezing. Daniel pet his hair and kissed his forehead.

"Shh. That's okay if you're not ready. We can try later. There will be other chances."

 Seongwoo shook his head fiercely. "No, you don't get it. It has to be today. If not, the heat waves will be worse. I could force myself on you, you may have our first time and I was not even in my right mind. Earlier, I barely even remember what I was thinking. I don't want our first time to be like that."

 "Okay, I understand. We still have two weeks before the full moon. We just need to do it before then. If you feel ready."

"Hmm, okay, you're right. We still have time. I need to think about what I'm giving up."

Daniel continued petting his spine and scratching his ears which he knew was an excellent way to relax him from those times he was anxious or scared as a cat.

"What you're giving up? I figure you are gaining many more things than you're losing. You mean your virginity? Innocence?" He asked in confusion.

Seongwoo wondered if he should tell him. It was on the tip of his tongue. What stopped him was that he feared Daniel wouldn't respect his decision if he decided to go through with mating after he knew what would happen later on. He figured Daniel would refuse to ever mate with him or push him to find a more suitable shifter. Daniel wouldn't like Seongwoo having to lose something or becoming possibly sad because of him, especially if it came to his family or his identity.

 Seongwoo decided to make the decision totally himself and tell Daniel later when the transformation to being fully human started much further down the road. When he became unable to fully transform like Daehwi.

Seongwoo eventually stopped crying thanks to Daniel holding him, comforting him, and singing some foreign song in a language he barely knew any words to. It wasn't perfect or smooth but he loved Daniel's singing voice immensely. Snuggling closer and intimately tangling their legs together, he noticed that something hard was poking him on the stomach.

 

(mature rating again from here)

 

He put his hand down to move it, then he noticed from Daniel's groan and the way he pressed into it was his hand it was his baby making stick, his penis it was called according to Daniel's lessons. 

He rubbed his hand over it, muttering apologetically, "Sorry, Daniel. It's painful, right? I will relieve you."

 "Ah, no, hmm... it's okay, Seongwoo, ahhh stop rubbing, you don't have too, hmm..." Daniel could barely get a few words at a time out.

He was flushed and groaning, chewing on his lip and rocking his hips again into Seongwoo's hand. Seongwoo now knew exactly how wonderful yet painful, aching, and itchy to the point of torture this was.

 "No, I think I really have to. Let me please you, Niel, as an apology for not giving you what you really want and deserve. I have been a bad boyfriend. The Cosmopolitan magazine says I am a bad boyfriend if I push or refuse sex and I did both today. Sorry, Niel..."

 As he spoke, he pushed Daniel to lay on his back and pulled down his shorts. Since he wasn't wearing underwear, his penis was fully exposed. It was the first time that Seongwoo had seen it or any besides his own really besides in his village when they transformed to humans but he wasn't ever specifically looking at it. He was slightly overwhelmed by what to do. Daniel's penis was larger and thicker than his and it seemed almost angry the way it was sort of a purply shade of red, the veins popping out on the sides since all his blood was flowing their which was a symptom of being horny. 

Daniel watched, chewing on his lip nervously, as Seongwoo fingered him the way he had earlier. He curiously explored the warm, smooth textures and ridges with his finger tips. Daniel inhaled and his eyes fluttered shut when he ran his fingers around the mushroom part. Seongwoo made a mental note that he was sensitive and that area brought more pleasure. 

He next tried wrapping his hand around and sliding it over the top all the way to the bottom of curly black hairs. Daniel groaned huskily, lifting his hips up into the air and flexing his legs. Seongwoo noticed he curled his toes and breathed harder and licked his lips when he felt pleasure. He continued moving his hand the way Daniel had.

"Ah, that's nice, hmm... Seongwoo, you're doing a good job, baby. Ah, keep going, hmm..." Daniel panted and groaned with more lip licking and biting, tensing, toe curling and rocking up his hips into the air.

 Seongwoo bent down and when Daniel was distracted, slipped his mouth over the tip.

 "Ah, shit..." he cried, jerking further into Seongwoo's mouth and grabbing his head as if to push him further.

Oh, good lord, he's going to finally be the death of me. I can't believe what is happening. I must be dreaming...

 Seongwoo wanted to please him more, recalling that what he had done with his mouth earlier was even more amazing than his hands. It was just a different kind of feeling. He went down too fast or too far inhis hurry to please his mate and caughed. 

"Seongwoo, be careful. Don't go so far. Your throat could be worse..." Daniel brushed his hair, pushing his shoulder as if to push him away.

Seongwoo subtly shook his head, meeting his eyes with a determined look.

 "Ugh those eyes...They are slowly killing me..." Daniel groaned and bit his lip, touching under his eyes.

 The brown orbs darkened to near black with a surge of lust. Apparently, nothing turned him on more than his cat eyes in this body. Seongwoo continued to look at him as he moved down his penis.

 "Hmm, that's really good. You're so erotically beautiful like this, my pretty boy.." Daniel fondly pet him as he bobbed up and down, slightly sucking.

"Try licking..."

 Seongwoo pulled off and held it in his hand, turning his head back and forth.

"Like when you drink milk in your cat form. Just think of me as a big bowl of banana milk."

Seongwoo giggled, fingering the wet hard penis. "You're tastier than that."

He licked his lips, already missing the taste of Daniel, which still lingered just faintly on his lips.

Daniel groaned and closed his eyes as if in pain, flexing into his hand. "Ah, god damn, you're killing me Seongwoo. You have no idea how sensual and sexy you are right now..."

Seongwoo smiled proudly and wiggled his ears. He licked his lips as he sank back down. He sniffed with his senses and then started licking him all over as if he was grooming himself.

"Hmm... wonder if I can transform my tongue..."

"Wow, shit, so rough..." Daniel jerked when he tried.

 Seongwoo apologetically leaned up to kiss his mouth and stroke his sore penis. "Sorry. I guess human tongues are better since it's sensitive skin."

 "Yeah, I'll say. Keep trying the regular way please..." Daniel laughed and pecked him sweetly.

 Then, Seongwoo returned to curiously licking him all over like he requested. Eventually, Daniel taught him how to use his hands and suck on the mushroom like part with his mouth at the same time. Judging by the bad words and excited moaning and panting and the way Daniel gripped his hair, Daniel enjoyed this style of pleasure the best.

"Ah Seongwoo, baby, get ready it's coming..." Daniel groaned in a voice thick, deep, and hoarse from too much stimulation.

Seongwoo had refused to move already. He was going to taste and swallow their love juices just like Daniel had.

 "Ah, ah, hmmm, yeah, oh yeah, Seongwoo, co..ming..ah... I love you, oh I love you so damn much, you are perfect, beyond even that..." Daniel pet Seongwoo's hair and affectionately watched his lover as he came for the first time from someone besides his own hand.

 It was the most incredible feeling, plus it was so naughty and intimate that he felt closer to Seongwoo than ever before and yet also more embarrassed. Seongwoo smiled happily when Daniel came, meaning he had the wonderful thing called an orgasm, but as he tasted it going down his throat, he grimaced. It was not the taste he had expected at all.

 

(mature rating over)

 

"Ah, bitter!" He cried, jumping back and licking his hand as if to get the taste away.

 He stamped his feet and waved his hand with his tongue sticking out in a state of panic.

"Sorry, I guess that's not to your taste since you only like sweet things. Here."

Daniel chuckled and passed him a bottle of cider he had still from this morning. Seongwoo greedily drank the rest of the liquid in the bottle and wiped his lips.

"Better?" Daniel chuckled with his hands crossed behind his head and a lazy, amused yet extremely content smile.

 Seongwoo nodded and then jumped into his arms. Daniel pulled up his shorts and fixed the tie on Seongwoo's robe before allowing cuddle time. Daniel told him a few more times how much he loved him and how thankful he was for that, how special Seongwoo was to him, each sentence between tender kisses he rained on his face like Seongwoo recalled him doing to his cats. It was the sort of affectionate move Daniel did only when he was so happy he could barely contain himself. Seongwoo giggled and hugged his waist tight, jokingly whining for him to stop. Daniel didn't listen, continuing to talk and lay noisy, wet smooches all over his face.

"Ah, I am all dirty now~" he complained with an epic pout.

Aigoo, just look at that aegyo explosion. Wonjeon Shimkung! He has been around Jihoon too much I see. 

"Get used to it because I am going to get you dirty every night."

"No, we stink! We should go take a shower."

Daniel teased him further, "I will just try to turn you on so I can make you dirty again. What does it matter? Your innocence is gone now, Seongwoo."

 "That doesn't mean we can be dirty and not take showers afterwards!" Seongwoo scolded, trying to push the bigger man off him.

 "Don't wanna~" Daniel insisted childishly, laying on top of Seongwoo and holding him in a locking embrace.

Seongwoo never did get that shower he wanted that night. But it was a worthy price to pay for sweet cuddles and neverending affectionate kisses from his favorite human.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is just full of all sorts of random things to make you guys smile before the last angst arc comes starting next chapter. It's going to last from chapter 31 until 33, followed by the ending and epilogue chapters. In just about six weeks this story will be done~ Just like T T hehe. Anyways, so this chapter has some Onglin, jealous Dan, sweet and fluffy Ongniel, then followed by  shifter related comedy and fluff, then NielSung which I always love, and last steamy steamy dreamy Ongniel smut followed by fluff and comedy(Ong's reaction to sperm is priceless~). Sorry, I wasn't going to have their first time be here. That's going to be after the angst arc when Ong has fully come to terms with not wanting to be a shifter anymore and his heat waves have gottten much worse so they really can't wait anymore. It will be worth it and it will be very detailed and intense but mostly sweet and sensual instead of raunchy. Hope you enjoyed another teaser of their chemistry in bed hehe. I LOVE my alpha Dan~ See a lot of him in this chapter, especially when it comes to Guanlin. Aigoo, Lin is so good at pushing his buttons really~ Will those two ever get along? Hmm, maybe by the end of this story who knows...
> 
> The next arc will probably be quite long, detailed, extremely intense, thrilling and emotional. I promise it will be more than worth the wait until I get it up on here. There will be something I have never tried my hands at writing, ACTION~! I will try to make you feel like you've been drawn into one of those movies with thrilling chases and fights. No guarentees it will be any good, but I am really going to try to bring the plot in this arc to life. Yay new writing challenges~ This whole story is full of them actually, because I have never written a character like Ong or magical beings besides vampires.
> 
>  
> 
> <3 Raina


	31. Gashina, Nothing Without You(1-1 = 0)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seongwoo's father comes into the story and back into Seongwoo's life in the worst way possible, causing separation between Daniel and Ong just when things are starting to look up for their futures. The second angsty arc begins~

“What does he look like again?” Daniel asked Seongwoo with a stutter.

Seongwoo opened up the group chat on his phone app called Kakao. The group had all the shifters only and it was entitled ‘Shifteralians’. It was their private joke since they decided to say that if they were from a place that was what their place was called. He clicked on the picture next to the screen name ‘wolfinator’. A picture of an awkwardly smiling, snaggletooth, red-headed handsome boy appeared. He showed it to Daniel.

“You don’t have to worry so much, Niel. He is your fanboy, right? He will recognize you right away,” Seongwoo reassured.

“Maybe not. I look different than I did back then. I changed my hair color and I lost some weight…”

“How much did you possibly eat back then that you actually lost weight?” Seongwoo teased, tickling his side which was recently getting pudgy.

Daniel pouted and swatted his hand away, unable to believe the sweet shifter who thought the world of him was calling him fat of all things. “Showing your true colors these days habit too often, don't you think, Ong? I’m going to work out, don’t worry. I cut back on snacks recently too, you know.”

“You have a stash under the bed, Niel. You may be able to hide things from Jisung, but you can’t hide anything from me. I have super senses, remember?” Seongwoo quipped, tickling his slight side chub some more.

Daniel switched the power off of his phone and used the screen as a mirror to fix his hair. “Do I look cool?”

“Are you going on a blind date or something right now, Daniel? I’m almost about to get jealous. It shouldn’t matter what you look like. I’m your shifter boyfriend not Woojin, unless your planning to create a shifter harem, which in that case shame on you…”

Daniel chuckled and pinched his pout, wondering where on Earth he had even heard that word. Then, he swooped in and gave him a peck. Seongwoo gasped and blushed since they were in public. Daniel was really different than before they visited his school. He did all sorts of public displays now, including hugs and kisses, without a second thought.

“I will never like anyone but you, don’t get me wrong. I love you until the moon and back. I just want to look cool because he used to look up to me. I don’t want to disappoint him. Well, I’m already disappointing enough by giving up on my dance dream…”

Seongwoo reached for his hand and squeezed as they stepped into the restaurant where they were meeting Woojin for lunch.

“Don’t beat yourself up about that anymore. At that time, you were thinking of your parents, being a good son. You still have time to pursue that dream again. After you pass the auditions.”

“Who knows about that though? My skills are pretty rusty and it’s a job for back up dancing and choreographing. That is a pretty big deal. I can’t pass if I’m mediocre.”

“You won’t be mediocre. You’re anything but mediocre. You’re an incredible dancer, even if you’re out of practice. You’re going to dance circles around the other guys. Also, Woojin said he showed them your old videos. The other dancers in the company were impressed. So, that gives you an advantage even if you fumble your routine a bit.”

The last few days, Seongwoo had been going with Daniel to practice at a studio. He had been making up a dance to this song called ‘Get Down’. Daniel always thought he wasn’t perfect but every time he danced that routine Seongwoo felt blown away.

Daniel had also taught him some popping moves. He said that Seongwoo wasn’t so good at other dances, especially with memorizing choreography, but he was a natural at moving his limbs in that way. 

Seongwoo was starting to really enjoy dancing, as a fun pastime, of course. As for a job, he was planning on continuing to pursue modeling, and maybe someday acting, though he wasn’t sure if he was any good at it. He enjoyed getting into character and telling a sort of story with just his body and expressions. Real acting involved memorizing and reciting lines though, which he’d never tried.

 

 

“Daniel hyung! Long time no see! Wow, you look as cool as ever. You didn’t change much at all!” Woojin greeted them when they got to the restaurant enthusiastically with a huge grin, shaking Daniel’s hand and bowing respectfully several times.

“Wow, look at how you changed. You’re all filled out and tall. Nice to see you again, Park Woojin,” Daniel replied in an extra friendly manner, patting his back.

“I started working out and I had a late growth spurt,” Woojin explained proudly.

Seongwoo noticed they were still holding hands. He felt slightly amused by it, but mostly a bit jealous. They seemed rather close,closer than he had expected from the way Daniel had talked about him before, and Woojin knew a form of Daniel that Seongwoo could never know.

“Ah, is that so? You used to be a tiny little thing, barely up to my chin. Remember when we arm wrestled? You didn’t even last five seconds.”

“Oh, it’s different now. I bet I could maybe even beat you. At least I can last thirty seconds. Wanna try?” Woojin smirked and pulled him over to an empty table.

Daniel smirked back in a similar fashion, lifting their hands up and putting his elbow on the table. “Bring it on. I worked out regularly too. I’m not going easy on you just because you’re an old pal.”

They counted down from three with their elbows on the table and their hands clasped. Then, at zero, they tried to push the other’s hand down. It was a stalemate for nearly a minute. In the end, Woojin won, pressing Daniel's hand on the table.

“Sorry, hyung. I was going to let you win but my competitive streak kicked in there,” Woojin said with a sheepish grin, scratching his neck.

“Ah, don’t worry about that. A real Busan sangnamja should never let another man win. That was impressive. You’re strong like a brick wall now. How many reps do you do? What is your usual routine?”

Seongwoo had difficulty following their conversation. Rather than ordering food, they talked about weight-lifting, protein diets, and exercising routines. He just sipped on some cider that was brought to them through a straw. Eventually, his growling stomach caught their attention several minutes later.

“Oh, sorry, Seongwoo. We got lost in our own world. That must have bored you. You’re hungry, right? Let’s order quickly,” Daniel suggested, patting his lover’s back.

“Yes, please. I’m kind of starving but I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“Is it okay if I choose? I know what tastes really good here. It’s still one of your favorites right, hyung?”

Seongwoo learned that they had ate this spicy soup often together after practice with the b boy crew, which Woojin had joined because of Daniel’s help.

“Of course. You have an excellent memory,” Daniel said with a proud beam.

Seongwoo pouted again. Daniel sure did compliment Woojin a lot and he didn’t like hearing so much about this long history they had together that was much longer than he and Daniel had. He stayed quiet and picked at his food as they chatted the next hour about their school memories and what they had been doing with their lives since high school. They had a million things to talk about, especially when they got to music and dance trends. Seongwoo didn’t have much of an appetite since he felt like the third wheel.

“Seongwoo, are you feeling sick? You have hardly ate anything...” Daniel asked with concern later, brushing his back and observing his expression closely.

“Ah, it’s just a bit spicy for me,” he murmured. “I will eat something with Jisung at home later.”

 

Today Daniel had the auditions. After dinner, he was going to leave with Woojin and then Seongwoo would return home.

 

 

“It’s going to be getting dark soon. You’re not going back by yourself, are you, Seongwoo?” Woojin asked with concern.

Seongwoo nodded. “I often go around by myself. I know my way around. I have a good sense of direction.”

“Hmm, that’s not what I mean. There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, Seongwoo. I didn’t want to stress you out, but maybe it’s best you know. You shouldn’t walk around alone for awhile.”

“Why’s that?” Daniel asked. “Is there some pretty boy snatching pervert around?”

Seongwoo chuckled at that. Woojin shook his head, his face oddly serious.

“Seongwoo, your father has been spotted in various cities in his human form, looking for you. He’s easy to identify because he’s got a recent, horrific scar over his eye. He’s traveling around with a large group of male and female shifters. They have sort of been wreaking havic on humans and any shifters that get in their way. Worse than they used to be…”

Seongwoo dropped his chopsticks with a clang on the table at the mention of his father and froze. “My father…his gang…looking for me?” he choked out.

Daniel rubbed his back, fighting back a slightly solemn look. “Isn’t that a good thing? Your father must be looking for you because he’s worried about you after running away. He probably wants to convince you to go home again. The rest of your clan must miss you.”

Woojin shook his head, seeming somber. “Not from what I’ve heard. He’s an evil man, your father. He’s grown infamous in the shifter world and in the human world he’s now a wanted criminal. Him and his group hate humans and perform all sorts of hate crimes on them, you see. It won’t be good if he catches you. I think you would be severely punished for running away and ‘fraternizing with vermin’ as he puts it.”

“He sees humans as vermin? Wanted criminal for hate crimes? Why didn’t you tell me this, Seongwoo?” Daniel demanded, showing a bit of anger.

“My clan…we knew he didn’t like humans, but we didn’t…we didn’t have any clue what he was doing when they went out…” he whispered, tears stinging the back of his eyes and a cold chill of fear running down his back.

His father had committed heinous crimes against humans then, with his group of friends, that’s what he had been out doing. If the scar was recent, Seongwoo figured he must have gotten it from his mother while they caught.

“He needs to be stopped. Before he hurts anyone else I love…”

“Who did he hurt that you love, Seongwoo?” Daniel asked softly, rubbing his back. 

“My mother…When I was running away, she threw herself in the path to protect me. I saw them fight and I saw her get thrown down. I think she gave him that scratch just before she…died…”

Daniel stood up and slammed the table, practically shouting, “Your father killed your own mother for protecting her son? That’s outrageous! On top of the fact he gave you those scars for no real reason. This guy sounds like a total asshole spawned from Satan. No way he’s your father!”

“Not all shifters are good, like you said, Daniel. Just because I’m good doesn’t mean that I was necessarily born from good people,” Seongwoo murmured with a reassuring pat of his arm.

Daniel sat back down several seconds later, but he seemed seething and anxious.

“Has he figured out where Seongwoo is staying? Where was the last city he was spotted in?”

“About thirty minutes by car from here,” Woojin answered. “It might not be easy to find you though. Still, I wouldn’t go wandering about alone. You shouldn’t meet him alone.”

“Surely, he wouldn’t…to his own son…You don’t think, do you, Seongwoo? Didn’t you have an okay relationship?” Daniel turned to him with worry.

Seongwoo shook his head. “My father only cares about me on a superficial level. I’m sort of...popular in the village and he wants me as the heir since he has no other sons. However, I have repeatedly brought shame to his name and dishonor to our family. He might think it’s better that I am gone from the world so he doesn’t have to live with the thought of my disappointment…”

“He’s hurt you before, hasn’t he?” Woojin asked softly, looking at the way that Seongwoo was unconsciously touching his chest with a look of pain.

Seongwoo lowered his shirt and showed just a couple of his scars. Daniel looked away, his mouth set in a straight line as he grit his teeth in fury.

“Some of these are from when I disobeyed orders but many of them are from when I was caught interacting with humans and refusing to mate with my own kind. There was a time when I tried to follow them and they all ganged up on me to give me a severe punishment…”

Daniel covered his hands with his own because he had started to tear up. To think that his clan not only bullied him but that his own father gave him those scars and let his friends attack his own son. To think that his father killed his mother and was likely coming after him to kill him too just because he was interacting with humans and ran away. He was the biggest ass of the century.

“Daniel?” Seongwoo pet his back in comfort despite he was the one that needed that most. “It’s okay. You don’t need to be so angry about it. I’ve accepted it long ago. My father has no love for me and he is a terrible person.”

Daniel didn't comment about that. He wasn't sure he could ever accept or not be angry about it. Someone had abused his lover, a person that really should never ever do that. 

“You need to call Jisung, okay? Stay here until Jisung comes and gets you. I don’t want you walking by yourself anywhere. After tonight, we’re going to try avoiding walking around at night as well. If it’s a gang, then we may be outnumbered.”

“Okay, I will… Don’t think about it so much, hmm? Just focus on your auditions. That’s more important.”

Daniel turned and hugged him tight. Then he pulled back and caressed both his cheeks.

“There isn’t anything more important to me than you, Seongwoo. Remember that. You are number one on my priority list any day. You are my everything. Without you, I am nothing. I have no reason to live.”

“You’re being dramatic, but that’s sweet. You are my everything as well. I love you, so much sometimes it hurts,” Seognwoo replied, touching his cheek in turn.

They leaned in for a few sweet pecks. Then, Woojin coughed, signaling he felt a bit awkward witnessing their very intimate moment. They apologized.

“I’m going to get going now. Don’t go home by yourself, okay? You promise me.”

Seongwoo nodded and intertwined their pinkies. “I promise. Good luck! See you back at home to celebrate.”

“Don’t count your chickens before they hatch,” Daniel chuckled and pet his hair, looking reluctant to leave though he was standing up and Woojin was waiting for him at the door.

“What does that mean? Is that a joke related to Guanlin?”

Daniel laughed again as Seongwoo tilted his head left and then right with a look of cute, feline like puzzlement.

“Never mind. See you in a couple of hours. I love you.”

“I love you more.”

“Not possible.”

“So is possible.”

They shared in chuckles and sweet pecks while joking around in a cheesy way, ignoring Woojin who was left feeling uncomfortable and envious again. Then, they hugged once more before separating, nice, long, and snug. Daniel ruffled his hair.

“Later, pretty boy.”

“Fighting!”

 

 

Seongwoo waved to the two until they were out of sight from the window. Then, he called Jisung.

“My baby~ How are you?”

“I’m good!”

“Did Daniel meet Woojin. Are they headed for the auditions now?”

“Yup! They get along really well. They talked the whole time and totally ignored me,” he laughed. “They already left.”

“Where are you then? Walking home?”

 

“Daniel told me not to walk home alone in the dark. He said I should walk home with you.”

“Ah, really? Ottokhae? I can get you from the restaurant but it’s going to be another thirty minutes or so. I have to work a bit late today. Stay put there.”

The phone was disconnected before Seongwoo could say yes or no. However, it seemed that the owner of the restaurant wanted to close up. He wanted to get home and continue reading the book he had put down this morning. Instead of waiting, he messaged Jisung that he was going home with Minhyun instead and walked out on his own.

It wasn’t fully dark yet and their home was only ten minutes’ walk away. He decided to walk quickly and keep his eyes and ears open. He felt a little bit anxious when he passed this wooded area which was an empty park, but other than that he didn’t see anything suspicious from normal or bump into any people with auras or scars. He made it home safely and texted Jisung that he was at home.

 

 

Woojin and Daniel continued to chat as they went to his company. At Daniel’s request, Woojin told him about the entertainment company that he was one of the head choreographers and occasional back up dancers for.

 The benefits and work hours sounded amazing, plus he was allowed to take vacations whenever he wanted up to three weeks a year, he could keep going to school if he wanted to and work around the schedules, and the company had a cafeteria as well as a gym. It sounded terrific.

If he got the job though, he wasn’t sure if he would work full-time or part-time though. He explained to Woojin that he had gone to college because that’s what his parents wanted but honestly he wasn’t any good at it and he didn’t have confidence that he could get good enough grades the rest of the three years left to even graduate, which would be wasting his parents money.

He just hated what he was learning so much. It was difficult and boring on top of that. He really was considering quitting for good.

Woojin told him that he had given up on college dreams long ago and he never regretted it. He explained that college just wasn’t for everyone. His way of thinking was that if you had a passion for something then you should pursue it whole-heartedly and forget what others think or say. It was better to make money doing something you liked than lose it on something you hated.

“You had more passion for dancing than anyone in the crew, hyung. I can see that you still do. You haven’t been able to give it up. Your body seems like it's craving for it. I think that if you get this offer, you should really take it. You will love working there. You can keep fit and be creative and I bet you will even be quite famous. You will outshine the singers you dance for, that’s for sure. Not many back up dancers are attractive, after all.”

Daniel flushed and smiled sheepishly, letting out an embarrassed laugh at the compliments and that Woojin had seen right through him.

“It’s true. Dance is my mistress. I could never really leave her for long. She’s always coming back in my life somehow, I guess because I just miss her so much. My whole life it’s always been dance and nothing else, since early in middle school.”

“Speaking of passions in life, it seems that you found another mistress you can’t stay away from…” Woojin grinned wickedly. “So, want to tell your old friend how in the world you ended up dating the most desired cat shifter in the Gaypyeong cat shifter clan? Maybe you don’t know this, but Seongwoo is sort of a hot item where he’s from. My clan used to roam around close to their camp until a year or so ago and we have heard of him.”

“My Seongwoo was famous before he became a model?” Daniel asked with surprise.

“From years ago actually. I’ll tell you about that if you first tell me about how you got with him, which is a miracle in itself. I didn’t even know you were into guys, hyung. I would have told you I had a crush on you ages ago if I had known.”

Woojin playfully pushed him and Daniel laughed, then pushed him back.

“I was hiding it for a long time. I had a bad experience with bullying at my old school when kids found out. Anyway, about Seongwoo, hmm… Long story short, I found him in the woods after he ran away. He was just a pretty, sweet, oversized cat then. He took a liking to me because I was kind to him and I guess he wanted to get far away from there so he snuck into our car. I realized halfway down the road he was in our car and he seemed to be begging me not to take him back, so I just kept him in my dorms. Later on, by chance I met this gorgeous man in the library. He told me he was a foreigner and needed help with Korean and learning the culture. We met and studied together and went on a few friendly dates. I confessed. We started dating as humans. There were some incidents and I learned he was a shifter.”

“You were okay with that?”

“Not completely at first. But I was already deeply in love with him. And I liked him as a cat as well, only in a different way. So, I learned to get over my aversion. I’ve accepted him completely.”

“Wah, hyung. You really do have the heart of an angel. You are one exceptional human. Man, I really should have confessed when I had the chance but I can't compete with Seongwoo at all,” Woojin said with a chuckle, looking at him with admiration.

Daniel flushed and scratched at the back of his head some more, feeling immensely flattered. “I’m not that great. Anyone would do that if they fell in love first before finding out some big secret. The love sort of cancels out any bad thing they did or any sort of strange affliction they have. Well, it’s not strange. Being a shifter is pretty cool, isn’t it? You are advanced humans and you have all these nifty abilities. I wish that I was born a shifter. Seongwoo said I would be a big white mountain dog.”

“A mountain dog shifter? The ones humans call Samoyed? Ah, yeah, I can sort of see it actually…”

"Do you think I would be an Omega, Beta, Alpha, or...?" He wasn't sure what other types there might be.

"Alpha, most definitely. Just like me. We are friends for that reason, hyung. We are a lot a like."

The alphas flashed similar smug, toothy grins and have a powerful, noisy high-five.

"Isn't it difficult for a human to love one of us though? You're going to always have a secret you have to protect. You can't be accepted by their family. It's difficult to live a normal life."

"But we can have a better than average relationship. Since Seongwoo is more intelligent, intuitive, loyal, understanding, and caring than humans."

Woojin nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Seongwoo is a special sort. Most shifters aren't as loyal and attached to their mates, even the human ones. You got lucky."

"I'm extremely lucky. Can you tell me about why he's famous?" Daniel asked curiously.

"Seongwoo told you that he hasn't mated yet, right? It’s very unusual. Most shifters mate by their second heat cycle. Seongwoo is popular one because he's hard to catch. Another reason is he is blessed with all the superior genes and abilities of the previous great shifters in his clan."

"Ah, really?" Daniel replied with his mouth in an O shape.

"From what rumors told me, every family wants a piece of his bloodline. Every once in a few decades a shifter comes along like this that is athletic, healthy, has superior intelligence, superior heightened senses, and then the cream on top of the cake is that he is good looking and large with an overwhelming amount of pheremones."

"Pheremones?" Daniel wondered what that chemical had to do with it, since everyone had them.

"Haven't you ever wondered how everyone who's human or animal goes literally goo goo gaga over Seongwoo as soon as they see him? How they're magnetized to him and like him instantly though he rarely speaks?"

Daniel thought about his friends’ reactions, the girls at the school, the librarian, the people and shifters they met in the modeling world, the cats at the cafe, his cats and even his mother who didn't really like cats. They all had liked Seongwoo instantly and wanted to be close to him, especially physically which had really driven him nuts with the males.

"Ah, I see your point. I thought he was just a likable, approachable person. He's cute, sweet, gullible, and he's always smiling."

Woojin nodded. "Exactly. He basically has this sort of seduction gene in him. People can't help but like him. Males and females are drawn to him. They want to befriend him or  they want to mate with him."

"Wait, so you're telling me is a human and shifter magnet? Damn, I'm going to be fighting guys like Guanlin and Minhyun off my whole life..." Daniel groaned, tearing at his hair.

"The rumor is that in the cat shifter clan Seongwoo is a rare commodity. Every female wants him and I bet some of the males too secretly. If you get to mate with Seongwoo, you're considered high class. If you have Seongwoo's kits, then you are the top family in the clan next to his father's. I think that that's the reason his father wants Seongwoo to come back. He is using him as a tool to gain power. Without Seongwoo, his power is lessened since he wasn't able to have any other sons."

"Ugh, that's disgusting. Selling your son's exceptional sperm for political gains. Our country sure has shitty politicians but we're not even that low. I will never let him get his cruel claws on my baby." Daniel growled like a dog, his hands curling into tight fists.

Woojin started laughing. Daniel gave him a funny look. "What?"

Woojin shook his head and flashed a snaggletooth smile. "Nothing. I was just thinking it's weird to see you in love, especially with a friend of mine. But it's good. Seongwoo chose the best mate, even if you're not a shifter. I bet that if it came down to it, you could kick some shifter butt as good as any of the rest of us."

"Not a super strong wolf certainly, but I could handle rabbits and chicks."

Woojin laughed enthusiastically for a minute, smacking his shoulder which Daniel wouldn't admit but rather hurt.

"Don't underestimate Jihoon and Guanlin. Trust me. Guanlin can jump fly and Jihoon has sharp teeth. I've wrestled around with them in our shifter forms and I was nursing some pretty serious wonds."

"Good to know we will have back up if we're faced with that hate group after Seongwoo..."

"Hey, don't worry. Cats aren't good at tracking. It won't be easy to find Seongwoo in this city. There's a ton of people."

Daniel noticed Seongwoo's face blown up in a window advertisement on that store they had bought their watches at long ago. He got a bad feeling after seeing that. He hoped they wouldn't give out Seongwoo's contact information or address or anything if the guy asked, but if he played the missing father card the people might if they had a soft spot for that sort of thing.

 

 

When he got to the company, Daniel pushed all his focus onto the auditions at hand. It wouldn't do to fail and then make Seongwoo give him a sad look. Seongwoo was waiting for him to come back with good news so they could celebrate. Jisung too. He already got the message that they were safely at home. He didn't need to worry about his father right now. Seongwoo was still going to be there safe and sound to cuddle, squeeze tight, and smother in kisses when he got home.

 Woojin directed him to a warm up studio. Inside were around ten other people practicing in front of mirrors with their music choices playing through their headphones out of respect to the other candidates. Daniel removed his jacket and set down his phone on the floor. Then, he started practicing as well without music since he had it memorized.

When they had to go in, they brought their stuff in, set it down in the back of the room, and introduced themselves to the judge panel consisting of the company's current professional dancers and choreographers. Woojin was sitting towards the middle. He smiled and waved extra brightly at Daniel. Then, he seemed to whisper to others that was the guy he was recommending. They smiled and nodded, looking like they were anticipating his performance. Daniel felt quite a bit more pressured.

 "May I remind you there should be no distractions during the other candidates' performances. No talking and no phone calls. If you must, then do it outside," one person said.

After that, the dancing started. Each person was asked to come out and formally introduce themselves. They conducted a small interview about their experience, current work, why they wanted the job, what they knew about the company, their dancing style, sorts of music they liked and artists they looked up to. After that, they played the music requested from a computer with the files they sent in advance and did roughly two minutes of their own choreography.

Daniel was one of the last people to go. In the middle of the performance, a phone went off. A contestant didn't know who's phone it was or if the call was important but he switched it off because it was distracting and near him so he felt like it could get him unfavorable marks. Sorry whoever My Ong is, he thought, canceling the call.

 

 

After the auditions were done, the panels thanked them for their hard work. They went around and shook everyone's hand, saying a final word. Daniel heard a lot of positive feedback and compliments, such as that he had great movement, original choreo, cool expressions, and he had clearly been dancing most of his life. He felt good about the interview and audition.

Woojin clapped him into a bro hug and whispered, "You killed that, hyung. Proud of you, you've still got it. I think this job's in the bag."

He beamed and very politely bowed and sincerely thanked Woojin for giving him this opportunity.

Daniel was on his way out of the building, checking the time, when he noticed he had a missed call from Seongwoo. He called back, standing outside of the building, bouncing up and down to keep his body warm from the cold. It was really chilly tonight. He stared at a blinking streetlight as the phone continued to ring several times and then go to voicemail. He hung up, looking at the phone with a strange expression.

Is Seongwoo in the shower? Maybe he is busy eating? Or is he absorbed in a book again and the phone was too far for him to feel the vibration?

He tried calling again. The phone connected on the third call after the third ring. He only heard some static and rustling like the phone was rubbing against something.

"Hello? Seongwoo, you there?" He heard a couple distressed sounding meows.

That sounded a lot like Seongwoo's meowing if he recalled correctly.

"Seongwoo? What's wrong? Why are you in cat form? Transform back so I can understand you," he called into the phone loudly.

He heard some more meows far from the phone this time that was just left on somewhere. Then, he heard some hisses, a whine, and a pathetic mew as if the animal was in pain and then silence. The phone disconnected.

"Shit."

Daniel tried calling again, pacing back and forth across the street anxiously. The phone wasn't connecting this time either. It rang and rang, then went to voicemail.

"Good job, hyung! Why are you still here? Did you want me to come to your home for the celebration party? I thought you just you two lovers would...Hey, hyung, what's wrong?"

Daniel turned to the redhead that had clapped him on the shoulder. He was wearing a look of total terror like he had just seen a ghost, his eyes wet with unshed tears of panic and dread.

 "I think... something bad has happened to Seongwoo..."

"What? Why? What did he say?" Woojin glanced at the phone with confusion and concern.

Daniel tried to explain what he heard but he was impossible to hear because he kept cursing and jumbling his words.

 "Calm down first, hyung. What did you hear exactly?"

 "He called me earlier but I missed it. So, I called back. When he answered, it sounded like he was in cat form and someone was hurting him and carrying him away."

Woojin now looked panicked and distraught as well, the words dawning on him.

"Shit. Could be his father's got him. We need to go look around your home. That's where he was, right? Where do you live?"

 But Daniel was crouched on the sidewalk, looking like he was about to either faint or burst into tears. He grabbed his head and rocked.

"He needed me. He called me. He was in danger. He reached out to me. I couldn't protect him. I didn't answer him. I ignored him. I'm horrible, I should have brought him with me, idiot idiot. I shouldn't have let him out of my sight when I learned about his Father. I didn't want to. I could have protected him if were just together. Dammit."

 Woojin patted his back and blocked him from hitting his head more with his fists. "There could still be time. He might not be far from the house. We can catch them as they run away. Let's hurry."

Woojin didn't need to encourage him much more after that. Daniel jumped up at a full dash. Woojin ran after him as fast as he could, wishing he could change into his wolf form since that ran faster and could track Seongwoo's scent which still lingered on Daniel's jacket surely. But there were too many people around and people were scared of wolves. 

He was barely able to keep up with Daniel he was so fast. They luckily didn't get hit by cars but they had two close calls in which the drivers swerved just in time and honked very angrily at them. Woojin made sure to jump in and pull or shove Daniel out of the way so he didn't end up injured.

 

 

Seongwoo read his book for a while, then grew bored. Jisung still wasn't home. He was a bit hungry. But he was craving something sweet like cookies or ice cream. He looked in the cupboards and freezer, even his mate's hidden stash, but didn't see any.

"I bet that Daniel will really want something sweet too."

 He thought of asking Jisung but Jisung was obviously going to be later than he said he would be. He didn't want to bother Jisung or wait really. If Daniel was here, he certainly wouldn't want to leave then because they would be celebrating.

He decided to slip out quick to the convenience store just outside the campus. It was a few minutes away and there were always people there so it should be safe even in the dark. He wanted to do something nice for Daniel who had been working hard on preparing for this audition and seemed extremely nervous and worried he wouldn't do well. Seongwoo was sure it went well but if it didn't by chance, he wanted to give Daniel something to cheer him up.

He listened to music on his phone and put that in his pocket along with his wallet. He was listening to the song he had been learning how to perform for Daniel's birthday, Gashina. He practiced his favorite part, the sexy gun dance, singing along as he left the dorm and walked down the street.

"You're leaving me here. You're leaving me so easily. You promised we'd go together. But you're leaving, leaving~"

 There wasn't as many people around the convenience store tonight. Maybe because it's the weekday and there's exams soon so people are staying in to study instead of hanging out, he thought.

When he got to the convenience store, it was odd. The lights were off but the door was left wide open. He knew that the store was usually open twenty-four hours since it was by the school and people often were out partying late or needed to take a late-night study break to snack on something sweet or salty to give their brains some extra juice.

"Anybody here?" He called as he walked into the eerily quiet and dark room.

There was light coming from the back of the room. He walked down the aisleway to see closer, thinking there was probably someone back there just sleeping or trying to fix the light problem. The light was coming from the computer on top of the cashier counter. There was someone slumped down on the chair with a thick, black padded jacket he could barely make out.

"Hello there. Is there some issue with the lights? I can help you if you need. Unless you're supposed to be closing up for a while to rest. In that case, you should know the door is open..."

When the person bent over away from him didn't respond, he tapped his shoulder. Then, the person slowly sat up and turned around. Seongwoo gasped. The guy appeared to be barely conscious and his face had several scratches from something sharp. They reminded him of his own scars.

His father's hand had just been here. They knew where he was. He had stupidly went outside on his own, just like he had promised everyone he wouldn't. Nowhere was definitely in danger.

His ears picked up some familiar whispering voices from outside. He put the hood of his hoodie sweater up and kept his head ducked, turning around to leave the store before they came in to finish the guy or take over the place to steak out in case he came by. Or maybe they were just going to use this as their base as they tried to search for him and ask around, which was terrible. Lots of people knew who he was and that he was modeling and some fans even knew the wherabouts of the dorm he was staying at.

Seongwoo left the darkened store as quietly and normally as he could, keeping his head turned away from the large, dark figures with green auras that were walking down the street. Unfortunately, he had to pass them to get home and if he ran it would be too obvious.

"He's definitely staying at this school in disguise as a student."

"Some human females who seem to be fans of his said he lives in that dorm and works as a model."

"Disgusting. He even lives and works with humans. Why would you want to work and have to always rely on money?"

"I know, right? I hate using this body. It's slow and my senses are dulled. Too big and clumsy too."

You just don't know how to use it. 

Seongwoo recognized that voice. It was his father's friend who was clumsy and big in his cat form as well, he wasn't fooling anyone. That's why the other guy laughed. 

Seongwoo held his breath aa he passed them holding his hood so that it completely blocked his face. The only issue was these two were able to see auras.

"Hey, that guy's a shifter. He's pretty tall and skinny too. Check him out."

Seongwoo started running as they turned and pointed to him. If there had only been other people around they wouldn't have picked up on it. But he was sure they were keeping their eyes out for the faintest hint of colored auras for weeks, checking every shifter they came across in case he managed to somehow disguise his aura. But he knew for a fact that no matter how much he focused, he could only suppress his aura, not distinguish or change the color. It was green, the distinctive mark of him being a cat shifter which they would of course recognize because it was the same color as their own aura.

Seongwoo was younger than them and he was much more used to using his human body. He didn't have much issue running from them. He headed away from the school because there were less places to run there and the other members of the group and his father were searching for him around there. He went down a few dark, narrow, winding alleys like a concrete and brick maze until he was able to escape them. He hid behind a dumpster and some piled up boxes, listening to them converse on the phone from some distance. They were calling for back up, explaining where he had disappeared and what he was wearing.

"He has a lime green aura. Search for that. He's hiding somewhere in the alleys in front of the school. Search everywhere and keep a lookout at the school entrance. He could have gone that way. We lost him. He's really fast and athletic. It's gotta be Seongwoo."

Seongwoo knew it was only a matter of time before they caught him. He worked on building a sort of fort to make his aura invisible. If he heard them coming close, then he would run. If they found him but there was no time to run discreetly, he would fight them off the best he could and make a dash for somewhere else to hide. The dorm was sure to be off limits for now.

He heard more voices join the other two. He closed his eyes and focused in order  to pick up distinctive tones and count their numbers. There were at least seven, many of which he recognized, some of them females of which he could recall their deceptively pretty yet rather aged faces. Thankfully, none of them were his father's voice, just his minions. His father was elsewhere as of yet, pulling the strings from hehind.

"Boss said to split up two by two, take the alley from both sides and flip over everything we see. He said Seongwoo is smart enough to be hiding or disguising himself rather than trying to run away."

Darn, why does father know me so well? They were never even close. Then again, he had hid from his father when he came back home from sneaking around in his human form and his father was enraged, threatening to swat or bite him.

All that Seongwoo could do was wait, listening to the directions of the footsteps which made his heart thump at a similar rhythm and the shifters saying they couldn't find him. By the sound of it, they left markings with their claws in wood or metal, which meant they must have known how to partially transform as well. He transformed his ears and eyes to be able to see and hear better, keeping his breath controlled and very soft otherwise they would be able to pick it up. Then, he looked at his hand and focused the green aura. He was able grow his finger nails into sharp, thick points sort of like claws. He would use them to fight if he needed to.

He considered transforming into a cat but he was noticeably different than other cats and he couldn't fight as well since human forms were bigger. His ears twitched and his heart raced as he heard footsteps approaching. He held his breath and remained perfectly still, racked with nerves. 

"We haven't checked here."

"Check that pile of boxes behind the dumpster. That seems suspicious."

Seongwoo muttered a bad word, biting his lip and inwardly panicking about what to do. With each footstep that came nearer, his heart picked up speed and his body shook with adrenaline. It was time for him to fight then flee and find a better hiding spot.

Seongwoo waited until one person moved the boxes. Then, he sprung out, kicking them hard in the stomach. The shifter female flew backwards, slamming into the wall and collapsing in a heap of garbage bags. The other shifter, a stout bulky pudgy middle aged man grabbed his sweater and held him, trying to keep him from running. Seongwoo turned around, hissing fiercely. He kneed him in the stomche and scratched his face with his transformed nails.

The guy hissed and screamed in pain, releasing him to hold his cheek. Seongwoo took off to an area he didn't hear sounds as fast as he could, readjusting his hood so it hid his ears. His eyes he didn't need to worry about so much since some humans wore contacts or had colored eyes, so it wasn't immediately suspicious. The guy he had injured he heard following him but it was much too slow. He slammed his hands on a car in his way, jumping cleanly over it before slipping through a door.

"He went towards the car shop," the guy said to some other shifter on the phone.

Seongwoo heard more footsteps coming his way. Four, no five shifters, were after him. He went down the first side ally and then the next and the next to confuse them, cleanly slipping through cracks or jumping over various objects that blocked his way like he was in a spy movie. Then, he saw an open door next to a grocery store. It looked like a storage room for rice and seasoning. 

He closed the door and leaned against it, panting as he planned how to prevent anyone from coming in until he could figure out what to use here as a weapon to escape before the whole gang was here to bust down the door and capture him. There were some brooms. They would do nicely to hit with, he figured. There were also some cleaning sprays he could use for their eyes to temporary blind them.

He grabbed some spray cans and a broom stick and sat in front of the door. He put his hands in his pockets and realized he had his phone still. He didn't want to call Daniel in case he was in the middle of his auditions, but he had no choice now. He had held them off as long he  could and it had been nearly an hour since they split. If his father was going to take him and he failed to get out of this mess himself, at least he had to say goodbye to his mate and hear his voice one last time. He had to give him some clue also so later Daniel could help him. Maybe if he held it out long enough, Daniel would be able to find him if he told him where he was.

He tried calling, holding the receiver's speaker so it wouldn’t make a loud sound, but it didn't go through. He thought that Daniel must be still in his lessons unfortunately.

"Daniel, my father's after me. I'm hiding near the grocery store in the strorage room there. Come get me if I'm still here later. If not, I may have been taken or I'm hiding elsewhere. I will call again. Sorry I didn't listen to you and broke my promise. I shouldn't have gone out. You must be angry, ha... I love you so much. Don't be angry please. I just didn't want your auditions to go badly and Jisung had to work late, I hope you can understand. Come save me and I'm sorry again."

He hugged his knees to his chest and cried softly after that. Eventually, someone found where he was and called back. They forced the door open on him. Seongwoo used the spray and broom to injure a few of them. He succeeded in slipping away but it was only for a limited time since there were just too many shifters with exceptional senses. He was caught by the convenience store. Despite he bit and shouted for help and struggled, no one came to his aid. It was dark, late, and they looked like a gang fighting under the streetlights in the middle of some creepy back ally full of junked cars and garbage. Most humans wouldn't get involved with such danger voluntarily.

 Seongwoo grew docile after a few punches in his face and kicks to his stomach. He was exhausted from running,  jumping, and fighting. He fell to his knees, noticing that his phone had flung out of his pocket. Daniel was calling him, 'my soulmate Niel' popping up on the screen. He tried to shake them off and reach for it but he was too weak.

 "Seongwoo, Seongwoo...what to do with you, my rebellious boy?"

Seongwoo froze as an icy chill went through him. He knew that cold, clip arrogant voice and tongue clicking anywhere. His father had finally appeared, the final boss he needed to get through. But it wasn't looking any good for him this round. He was too scared to look up. He bowed his head, submissively hoping his father would spare his life if he gave in peacefully.

"Sorry, Father. I will do as you wish."

"Now you will," he laughed sarcastically, stepping closer and then squatting down in front of him. "After I search this whole country in this soiled form looking for you. Talking and dealing with vermin, pretending to be distraught about my missing lovely son."

His father jerked his head up by his hair and spat on him. Then, he forced Seongwoo's head to the side, his eyes flashing angrily yellow and evil looking as ever, his mouth as always in a chilly, heartless sneer.

His father may have been handsome at one time but since he never smiled and he was often in the sun, his skin was weathered wrinkly. Now he looked positively terrifying with a vastly red and scabbed scar from his forehead to his cheek diagonally across his right eye which must be painful to blink with.

 "Yes, so lovely indeed, our Seongwoo. Only on the outside though. Inside, you're no shifter. You're just a selfish, weak, ungrateful, human loving, betraying, disloyal sissy."

 Seongwoo winced and bit his lip to keep from murmuring as his father scratched his cheek with his transformed hand.

"I am sorry Father. I was wrong," he acted sincere when inside he was seething and wanting to lash out with sarcastic words as he did when he was younger.

His father was the selfish one here and he had only been disloyal because his father was cruel and stubborn. He might not have hated his life with the shifter clan so much if his father was a different man.

"Just like your mother, that disloyal, ungrateful, betraying bitch. All that I did for you. Yet you fraternize with humans, refuse to mate, use your human body when I ordered you not to, follow me around sneakily, run away from the punishment you deserve, don't put any stop the rumors of you being gay which shame my name. The list of ways you have angered, betrayed, shamed, and personally scarred your father goes on and on, Seongwoo. You have been an awful son. Your mother was always an awful mate to the end of her life. To the end, she defied me, trying to protect you, how foolish of her. I gave her all kinds of power, I provided for her, I spent half my life taking care of you both. For nothing."

He shouted towards the end of his angry speech and slashed at Seongwoo's other cheek. He felt warm blood trickling down his cold cheeks and watched through tears as it dripped onto his pants and the ground.

"Sorry, Father. I will be obedient now."

Just please, don't kill me or, worse, hurt the one I love. He was scared now for Daniel to come. He was worried of what his father would do to them. His father didn't seem to know yet that he had a human mate. If he did, Seongwoo assumed he would have a lot worse than a couple scratches and bruises now and his father would be too disgusted to be this near whiletalking to him. Daniel was in serious danger. He regretted immensely leaving that message. If his father killed or even hurt his mate, he was never going to be able to live with himself.

"I need you back home, Seongwoo. Everyone still wants you, they want your genes to be exact. We're going to go home and we're going to get you a nice mate finally, hmm? Enough playing human and running away from your duties as a male Ong. Then we can clear our name and be on top again. Your heat waves must be just awful. But I can't trust you anymore. So, you're not going like this."

His father put a wet cloth over his face and forced him to breathe it in. It was some sort of chemical that forced him to return to being a cat.

"We’ve made all sorts of nifty medicinal discoveries while you were gone, Seongwoo. I won't let you return to that human form you love so much. It's disgusting, unnatural, and repulsive. You should feel as everyone else does and stop being a freak."

Seongwoo ran for the phone which he noticed that Daniel was calling him. To his surprise, his dad didn't stop him as he tried to swipe with his nose and paws to answer the phone.

"Of course, that would be one of your vermin friends. Go ahead and answer. Even if they figure out what happened somehow and come to rescue you, I don't care. We all have gotten pretty skilled at hurting humans these days."

 Seongwoo answered the phone and desperately meowed into it. "Daniel, I'm here, my father's got me!"

He could hear Daniel's voice. His eyes grew teary. There was so much he wanted to say but the shifters were already picking him up and reaching to turn off the phone.

"Don't follow me!" He tried to say but it was all meows Daniel couldn't possibly understand. "You will be in danger!"

He tried to transform back but he couldn't. The shifters forced him into a bag. He hissed and bit and clawed at them but they didn't drop him. Even after the bag was closed, he tried to rip and tear a hole into it.

Somehow, he needed to get away and he needed to get to Daniel or find a way to tell him not to follow or his life could get lost forever. Seongwoo couldn't stand to have his mate's death on top of his mother's. Too many people had died protecting him and trying to help him escape from his evil father's clutches already. He couldn't live if something happened to Daniel because of him. He would rather his father take his own life out of anger and disappointment.

"He's attracting attention. Shoot him with the morphine."

 Seongwoo cried in pain as a needle was shoved into his back. After that, he could neither move nor make a sound and a few seconds later he went into a heavy sleep.

 

 

Daniel and Woojin searched all over around the dorm and campus. Daniel continued to call Seongwoo's phone but there was of course no answer. It probably wasn't with him anymore seeing as he was in his cat form earlier. They heard word that some suspicious looking people had been looking for Seongwoo and that Seongwoo had been spotted heading out of campus.

"Why would he leave the campus when you told him to stay home?" Woojin wondered, sighing.

They walked off campus where there were a ton of dark, dirty, cluttered alleys lit by dim street lights. Daniel noticed the twenty-four-hour convenience store he often frequented was oddly closed.

"Ah, the convenience store! He must have gone out to get me some snack to celebrate!"

"They must have got him then. His phone should be around here and some sign of a struggle."

"Look!" Daniel saw the phone flashing as he called it near the street lamp post.

The light shone directly on it as well as some stains.

"Blood..." Daniel gasped, swiping at it after taking Seongwoo's phone in his hand gently.

Tears spilled out as he clutched the phone to his chest like he was hugging his hurt, scared lover tight.

 "We're too late. They took him. They hurt him. He must have struggled."

Woojin bent down and sniffed it. "Or his father beat him because he's got a temper issue.It's fresh. They must have left five minutes ago. Which means Seongwoo was on the run from them for nearly fourty minutes. Judging by the smells and footsteps here. There was a large group of at least eight shifters. He held on well, honestly."

 "Can you find him? What can we do?"

Daniel thought it was crucial he not curl up and bawl or panic right now. Seongwoo was waiting to be saved and every minute they delayed acting was another minute more Seongwoo was in danger and pain.

My poor baby. I've got to get him back as quick as possible safe and sound in my arms, the true place he belongs.

 He continued to hold the phone to discuss what he needed to do. They called the shifters to assemble at Daniel's dorm and Woojin called some of his clan members to track the shifter's scents. The shifters were all there within twenty minutes. Woojin took the lead because Daniel was too distraught. Daehwi and Jihoon hugged him and comforted him as he continued to hold the phone in place of his lover as if it was the only thing keeping him intact his last connection to his mate.

"Were going to get into our wolf form and lead a trail. You guys need to get us more people and two cars. I'm sure the clan travels by car. We can keep their trail as long as we see their license plates and there's no rain to block the scents."

Within another twenty minutes, Daniel's human friends had joined the search and rescue party. Daniel had simply told them that Seongwoo was kidnapped. Luckily the wolves were gone so they didn't need to explain the shifter thing yet. Jisung assured Daniel he would take care of it as well as taking care of him while the shifters just focused on trailing and rescue scheming since they were going to be the main fighters.

They took two vans, following where Woojin told them to go when he transformed for a bit to tell them on their hunt. The shifters had gone through the forest and hopped in two large trucks with Seongwoo in a bag. Woojin told them the license plate and Minhyun jotted it down on notes. From there, they were going to rendezvous with the wolves when they got tired of running. They drove down the road away from the city they lived in as Woojin instructed.

"But how exactly are they able to move faster than us and trail the kidnappers so well?" Jaehwan asked curiously.

Jisung was hugging completely distraught, hopeless Daniel to his chest and cradling him as he sobbed and shook. Jinyoung and Daehwi realized they would not be able to explain right now.

"Have you ever seen Goosebumps, Jaehwan?"

 

 

"Wait, what? Animal shifters are actually real?"

The four in the back nodded. Jaehwan nearly drove off the road but luckily Minhyun started steering for him.

"You guys are shifters?"

"I'm not anymore."

"I am. I can change into an otter. Jihoon is a rabbit shifter. Guanlin is a chick shifter. The others we're following are wolves. They are good at tracking. Also, you may be alarmed so I am warning you in advance. They are a bit larger than regular wolves."

"So, Seongwoo is also a shifter? What's he?"

Daniel winced and whined at the sound of Seongwoo's name, closing his eyes tight to fight more tears that somehow kept coming when he swore he had run out. He felt embarrassed that earlier he had promised to be strong but he failed after Woojin promised to take over. Jisung hugged him tight and pet his hair, shhing him like a mother would her baby. He wanted to say something that would comfort him, but he was at a loss. The only thing that Daniel needed to hear was something that they couldn’t tell him yet, that Seongwoo was safe and with the other party now.

 "Isn't it obvious?" He called with slight frustration at their slowness.

Minhyun and Jaehwan looked at each other, mouths opened with looks of understanding. "Ah, the cat..."

After that, Daehwi explained the brief story from Seongwoo running away from his rumored abusive, controlling, human-hating father, filling in the gaps with his own interpretation and Daniel's ghost-like whispers of what horrors he learned of Seongwoo's past and his evil father's reputation today. He went all the way through their love story to what had happened with the kidnapping as far as they knew.

"According to Woojin's theories, they don't intend to hurt Seongwoo seriously. They are probably just going to keep him in the clan and try to de-brainwash him from liking humans. Though I don't think he will ever stop loving his human mate, so that's going to be impossible. We should save him before his father gives up and decides how to dispose of his 'dirty, tainted' son. I certainly hope Seongwoo doesn't mention Daniel though, because our time could be cut much shorter to rescue him from serious injury. A person who hates humans no matter how great people think his son is isn't going to take that lying down at all. If the clan knew too, then they will all shun him, or worse, maim him all together..."

Daniel whimpered.

 "Jesus guys, can't you see how hard this is for Daniel already? That is his boyfriend you are talking about, or mate or whatever you call it. Have some decency," Jisung snapped.

They all went quiet. Daniel stared out the window into the darkness with occasional lights from windows and street lights or street lamps, biting his finger nails anxiously. Occasionally, tears would fall and Jisung would wipe them away with a tissue since he was always watching him with concern and rubbing his shoulders. Although the phone was dead now from replaying Seongwoo's last message to him and looking at their pictures in an attempt to calm his panic and depression, Daniel kept it clutched against his chest. He was imagining his lover was somehow asleep and unharmed or had safely escaped and was on his way back to their city somehow. He tried not to allow himself to think the worst case scenario. Or he might just break down to the point he needed hospitalization.

Jisung murmured while patting his leg and trying to smile, "It's going to be okay, Daniel. We have a large group and the wolves. We're going to find him really soon and steal him back. You look exhausted. Try to get some sleep."

Daniel did try but he didn’t have much success. How can I sleep not knowing what’s happening to Seongwoo right now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So begins what you have all been dreading, the second Angsty arc of this story! It will revolve around Ong and Niel's friends banning together to rescue Ong from his father who is basically pimping out his 'superior seeds' and his virginity like an auctioner. All in order to gain power. I bet you were surprised to learn that Ong is famous among some shifters, though the others haven't heard of him because they have been out of touch from the shifter world for several years in this story. Actually, Ong is blessed with superior genes, he is a rare shifter of shifters that only comes about once every couple of generations. This is why his father has always been strict and possessive of him and why he killed the woman that got in his way, why he let his friends beat him up, and why he's after him now. His father sees Ong as a precious comodity and he can't afford to have Ong tainted by human hands or especially for him to run away and become human if he mates. His father has many things to be gained from having Ong stay in the clan. Even though he was a bit bullied by the clan, people still want to have his kits because they want those genes in their bloodline and they also want power and recognition with in the clan for being close to Ong and his father.
> 
> It may be a bit hard for Ong to get away seeing as there are so many shifters and they keep using drugs on him to keep him imobile and stuck as a cat. Next chapter you will learn more about the shifter clan and see what Ong is going through. It may be quite harsh, it might make you cry, and it will definitely make you hate his father and his gang. Sorry for that in advance. However, this arc is something I really wanted to try since I've never dealt with abduction before and I wanted to try it. It has been something I have been thinking of with this story from the beginning. That's why I tried to make his father appear quite evil in all Ong's recollections and talks about him. Ong's pain will only last a chapter, don't worry~
> 
> It is true that Ong may have been able to handle his fears and past scars easily if Daniel was there just like they handled Daniel's together in Busan. In this case, unfortunately, Ong has to deal with his father on his own. But at least he will have someone else to help him out who will also be important to this story. 
> 
> I hope that you at least enjoyed the fluff and comedy in the beginning. Finally, Woojin gets to appear quite a bit. I wanted him to be really close, old pals with Daniel. Because who doesn't love the Busan Boys? They seem like they would meet just like this and have this sort of relationship, bros that joke around and support/admire each other in a very manly sort of fashion. Woojin will play a huge roll in this rescue mission because he is the leader sort and since he knows a lot about the Ong clan as well as he is a great tracker since he's got those wolf instincts.
> 
> I also hope that the chase scene was thrilling. I have never written action in my life. This will be my first attempt. I haven't read many action books either so I really have no clue how these sort of scenes should go. I am just going off movies I have seen and my own imagination. Hopefully, you were able to get into it and feel panic along with Ong. If I made you gasp, hit a table, or bite your nails at all, I will consider it a success.
> 
> Kudos and comments much appreciated! I will be going on holiday from next week to Dubai. Maybe Friday I will update again then since I will be gone all week. Have a great summer! 
> 
> <3 Raina


	32. I Miss You So Much

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seongwoo gets taken back home to the clan in the forest, meeting his father and his sister. He has a rough time but at least his sister is there for him and willing to help him escape somehow. Learn some things about cat shifter culture.

Listen while reading, Wanna One's Beautiful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCOPLqDibfQ

 

 

Seongwoo groaned and stretched. His body was sore from sleeping on something hard. He was extremely cold. He sleepily jostled around, reaching out his paws, searching for a blanket or Daniel's body which was always around him. All he felt was hardness and a scratchy material all around him and the smell of wood, some kind of natural fabric, and the faint smell of potatoes. It was odd and alarming for the shifter.

"Daniel, where are you? Where is this? I'm cold and it hurts," he whined in complaint.

His eyes popped open as he realized he was meowing. His hands were paws and his body was fuzzy. He lifted and twirled his tail. He was in his cat form. Why? He always slept with Daniel in his human form though these days. Looking around him, he realized he was in some sort of bag. He noticed a hole.

 He suddenly remembered everything that had had transpired. He had ripped the hole open last night in his attempt to escape the cat shifters and warn Daniel not to follow or his life could be in danger. His father wasn't planning on killing him because he was too valuable of a tool still. But only because they didn't know he was tainted by having a human mate. If Daniel showed up, that would get revealed and both of them would be at risk of his father's violent fits of rage.

He needed to escape on his own before Daniel and the others found him. He was sure they would find some way to track the shifters or their clan down.

He tried to make the hole bigger by clawing and biting at it. He soon saw it didn't matter. He discovered the source of his body aching. The bag had been put into a wooden crate. There were slits so he could see outside but not big enough he could possibly hope to squeeze through them. He looked out and trained his ears.

The shifters seemed to be driving trucks, one of which he was still in. They had camped on the side of the road to rest and eat. They boiled some sort of canned food in a rusty gold pot with a gas burner and ate pieces of sliced meat and some fruit they had gotten from a grocery store. It was late morning or early afternoon he guessed by the sun being partially out.

He smiled, seeing that a few people were nursing new aches and scratches, some inflicted by himself last night in the thrilling chase. He had really managed to stay away longer than he expected and Daniel knew something was wrong with him right before he had disappeared. He had probably called the shifters right after his auditions and then they all gathered to search for him, maybe even Daniel's friends.

 Seongwoo wondered if Daniel's auditions had gone well.

Sorry I couldn't celebrate. You're probably just sad and scared now when you should be really happy. So sorry I ruined that special moment for you. You must be following me down this road now, right? I wonder what your friends’ reactions were when they found out about shifters. They are kind, caring, open-minded people, so I bet they didn't freak out. I'm sure Sungwoon and Jaehwan think it’s the coolest thing and they asked about super powers. I hope Woojin is with you. He is strong, especially as a wolf. I hope he protects you in my place if you happen across the shifters. I really need to get out of here first.

 Just as he was thinking of how he should attempt an escape, a shifter walked towards the crate he was in. He curled up and pretended to sleep.

"Should we give him some food? He must be hungry."

"Leave him. It will do him good to go hungry a few days. He needs punishment for all he's done," his father said coldly, then went back to his meal.

His stomach grumbled. He wrapped his tail more around himself, trying to get a bit warmer.

Are you eating Daniel? No matter how sad or worried you are about me, you have to eat. Save your strength. In case you need to fight. I don't suppose I will be in any sort of fighting condition when I meet you.

 

 

After they ate and took a nap in some sleeping bags they laid on the grass, they got in the trucks and started driving again. Cat shifters didn't have much casual conversation but he was surprised they didn't talk for almost hours on end. It seemed they were saving their energy. Maybe they hadn't been eating or drinking so well these days. Maybe they were out of human money, since the group usually didn't go out for more than a couple of days.

It was strange that they hadn't reached the camp yet. It shouldn't have been more than a couple hours’ drive even going slow which they weren't he sensed from looking out the crate and seeing the trees and farm houses passing in a near blur. Some time later when the sun was starting to set, he finally overheard a short conversation.

"Do you think anyone is following us?"

"No, but we ought to be careful. Who knows how many outsiders or ex shifter or vermin friends he made. If there’s a huge group coming to rescue him, we could have a big scuffle plus issues with other clans."

 Seongwoo realized they were driving around the country randomly hoping to confuse or lose anyone who might be trailing them. Seongwoo was relieved yet also saddened by that fact. On the one hand, Daniel might not find them and thus wouldn't be put in danger. On the other hand, if he escaped it might difficult for him to get back. The address and contact info was all in his phone which he had dropped. He would know to get to Seoul but not know how to find Daniel.

He closed his eyes and tried to think hard of the name of the modeling agency or the school. At least if he was able to get the name some human could look up the address and direct him how to get there. He still had his wallet with some money in it though he wasn't sure how far it would take him.

 

 

During a rest stop for dinner and another nap in which he was given water but no food, Seongwoo overheard them arguing. Some people were suffering heat waves and really sick of being in their tired body. They wanted to stay in a hotel room, not outside where they couldn't transform or mate.

His father insisted they would be home within two days and that they only had enough money for one room plus the next day’s meal. He was worried if they had some car trouble then they wouldn't have any spare cash to fix it. His crueller gang members said they could just threaten and scare an employee to do that or a kill a human and steal his money and use that. His father could have just said no that was final but he seemed to sense the group was irritated and tense. In order to prevent rebellion, he agreed.

After driving until the sun went down, they found a remote motel. Seongwoo was taken in with them. His crate was opened but he didn't dare run away with all eyes on him. He merely stayed in the crate and observed the goings on through the slates.

 It didn't take long for the cat shifters to transform. They all stretched and groomed themselves, exclaiming with relief how their true body was the best and they missed it.

Seongwoo could hear their stomachs growling. However, his father had insisted they could eat no more tonight. There was only a sink-ful of water in the bathroom if they were thirsty.

Some people complained about wanting to mate but there being no privacy. There was a bed but it was too low. The bathroom had water on the floor and smelled terribly of humans and their waste. His father snapped at them that he had used a great amount of money for them to come here for that purpose so they had better just not complain. He suggested they close their eyes and merely imagine they were in the forest.

The shifters bowed their heads and went silent as the boss fiercely glowered at them. They clearly feared his wrath. If they complained about something more, then he was expected to bite or slash them. They all knew how painful his cat form was and about his terrible violent temper.

 

 

The female shifters were the first to move. Seongwoo recognized what they were doing, it was a sort of courting dance. They purred and meowed in an inviting way as they circled the males here and there, rubbing up against them, swishing their tails, presenting their genitals. Seongwoo knew they would be leaking a very pungent smell that the males would sniff and lick at as they passed by, bringing them to arousal more harshly ever second.

This dance went on for several minutes until the male shifters were panting and pawing at the females as if to get them to stop. One male, as soon as he grew ready and chose the female he wanted, bit her neck harshly. She submissively stopped, laying on the ground with her bottom in the air. He mounted her but didn't enter. He licked along her head and back, sometimes biting her. She meowed at the pain but rather seemed to enjoy it.

"Oscar, I'm ready..." She purred, pressing her bottom against his back legs.

"I'm not. So just shut up and wait."

She mewed as he bit her harshly on the throat and shoved her back on the ground. He then licked her throat as if in apology.

 Other similar interactions were going around. The male would pick the females, bite their necks, and then the females would submit immediately, seeming happy to have been chosen. It was hard to tell if they actually had a partner preference. He assumed they all wanted his father but his father had yet to pick.

After submitting, the male cats would mount them and adjust their positions often as they thrust. They would lick or bite the females' bodies, partially seeming to hold them in place. The females would shift their hind legs along with the males wobbling over them to make the position feel better. They would often growl or purr and the female meowed to let the other know how much pain or pleasure they were in. If the male was too aggressive and didn't listen to the warning, the female would hiss and try to get away.

Seongwoo's father meowed gruffly to a gray female that was licking his paws. She then went towards the crate Seongwoo was enclosed in.

"Seongwoo, tell me~ You like what you see, right? This is mating. This is your reality. This is what you are missing out on. Come join the fun. I will give you the best in the bunch."

A female shifter he recognized as being one of his most enthusiastic courters every courting season came by.

"Seongwoo~ you're hurting too aren't you, baby? If you come out, I will make you feel all better. You can ride me all night, bite me and throw me too, I don't mind."

She rubbed up against the wooden box, presenting herself and meowing coyly.

 Seongwoo flinched and turned away from her stench. He really didn't like the smell of females in heat. "Go away, Felicity."

He hissed and batted at her through the cage. She pouted and quickly trotted over to his father. She rubbed up against his chin. He licked down her body past her tail and smelled her bum with a lusty, appreciative mewl.

"Boss, he rejected me again. You said he could be mine tonight," shew mewled in complaint.

 "I guess he needs more time. I'm going to wait a few days before giving him the medicine. Then, he won't be able to hold back. He may choose you then. In the meantime..."

She mewled in pain as he shoved her to the ground and bit her neck. Knowing what he wanted and of course not able to object because he had a lot more power, the grey bangel female lifted her bum and flipped her tail out of the way. His father mounted her and started to shift.

Seongwoo felt disgusted as he watched the feral scene around him, especially at his father who was mating with a shifter half his age that would take anyone for the sake of power. There were excited, husky meows and gutteral grunts going all over the place, stinging his ears.

He truly hated the idea of shifter mating now that he had actually seen it. They didn't do it for love like humans, there was no intimacy or deep meaning whatsover. They merely acted on instincts. When their body told them to mate, they grabbed the nearest willing shifter. It didn't matter who they were close to. They didn't have anyone they were close to likely. Many of them had other mates and even babies with them waiting at the clan's quarters. But who knew they probably werent being loyal either. If their heat waves came, they likely wouldn't wait for their usual mate to come home. They would go flirt and mount someone else just to take the pain away instantly.

Seongwoo curled up in a ball, covering his ears with his paws, trying to drown out the sounds of their wild pleasure.

Daniel, my mate, I miss you and love you so much. We're not like this. What we have is special, I know it. Mating should be special, that's what I believe just like you do. I will never let one of these females take me no matter how bad the symptoms get. It can only be you and it can only be for love.

 It was hours before the male cats were spent. After mating, they would pause for several minutes to cuddle and bath their exhausted female mates. Then their drives would come back, suggesting they were in the middle of their heat cycle and it had been a long time since they did it.

This time, they switched. The females didn't move from the floor. The males strut around, sniffing, licking them, mounting to get a feel of the shape of their bodies. When they found the mate they wanted this time, they would bite her neck, making her mewl in pleasure and surprise. Then, they would mount her and start their thrusting, shifting, and grunting until they were satisfied.

Seongwoo tried his best to sleep through it but Felicity made it difficult. Every resting time, she would come talk to him and seduce him, even jumping in the crate to lick and rub on him. He hissed at her and told her to go away but she wouldn't listen. She would only giggle and say it simply made her want him more. His whole body and the crate smelled of her stench now.

She would eventually give up and go to whoever male was left, seeming disappointed but still determined to get him somehow. Luckily, his heat wave symptoms didn't come today. He was scared if they did like before with Daniel when he wasn't himself but, for no better word to describe, purely an animal in the middle of heat doing anything to sate his thirst that nature forced on him in order to make babies.

Seeing his clan members act this way, he actually became scared of himself. On the full moon, what if one of these females got to him? Not to mention whatever that medicine his father had was not going to be good for him. He needed to get away soon.

 

 

Seongwoo waited until they had fallen asleep from exhaustion. He tried to change into his human form but the effects of the drug were still strong so he was only able to for a few minutes he could feel it. He stayed as a cat, looking for a way to get out. The door was locked and he couldn't open it with his paw, plus that was where his father was sleeping, cuddling up with Felicity as if they both knew he was going to try to get out that way.

There was a window in the bathroom he discovered luckily. He jumped up on the toilet and pushed it open. It was hard to squeeze through and he almost got stuck. He managed to get out onto the window sill but his tummy was in pain.

He looked for a way to get down next. He could walk down the sill, jump onto the balcony, then jump from the balcony to the tree, then the tree to land on the car below it. It was risky though as the window sill was narrow and the tree wasn't the strong sort. He would need to move quick and be very precise.

My athletic legs and superior balance please don’t fail me now.

He had heard most of his life that the reason he wasn't bulky like many other males was because his genes had superior athletic abilities and were exceptionally nimble and flexible. He hadn't really felt like he was any better than other shifters though. He was fast and had good balance and he had lots of random benefits from being tall and skinny.

 He learned that the other shifters were right. He pulled off the impossible. Within a minute, he was at the car with very little issue. Once he got into the parking lot, he wandered around thinking of what he should do next. That was when he noticed a color in the darkness, a familiar color. It was a slight sunshiny yellow that seemed as if it was growing faint enough it would disappear in a few weeks.

"Daehwi!" He meowed.

"Did you hear that Jinyoung? It's a cat."

Jinyoung winced as his mate slapped his arm in excitement. He sighed softly, seeming tired but forcing himself to remain calm and patient.

"Not every stray cat can be Seongwoo, Dae Dae. We went over this. Search for the aura. It will be green."

"He's there, he's by those cars, he's running underneath them towards us!" Daehwi squealed, keeping his voice down but just barely.

He grabbed Jinyoung's hand and started running towards the end of the row of cars. Suddenly, a figure flashed by them with a lime green aura around its body.

"Seongwoo, oh thank god!" they both cried as he turned into a human.

They didn't care if he was naked. They hugged him tight.

 "Oh my god, your face~ They did to this to you, and look at these new bruises! Daniel is going to be furious when he sees you!" Daehwi gasped, gently touching the scratches on his face and then the bruises on his stomach and ribs.

"He's with you? Listen, I only have a few minutes at best before I turn cat again. You need to take me away very quickly. Don't fight if you can. If you see my father, just run, seriously. He's got things that we can't fight well. Also, he can't know about Daniel, no matter what. Keep Daniel away from his sight. Or he may try to kill him and me both. He absolutely hates humans and he thinks of me as some virgin, sacrificial prize."

"Understood. Come with us. Daniel is distraught without you."

"Hurry, we have a car. Let's get you out of here." Daehwi threw his jacket over him and zipped it up. "You can run still?"

 Jinyoung and Daehwi held his hands tight, looking worriedly at his bare feet. Seongwoo nodded.

"Don't mind my feet. I have run on them without shoes before. I haven't eaten in a while but I think I have enough energy to run for a kilometer about."

They all started running without another word. Seongwoo couldn't run as fast since the rocks dug into his feet. He winced and grit his teeth, pushing himself. His ears picked up people running behind him.

"The one in the middle. He's with a shifter and a human."

"Get him before he gets to their getaway car," Seongwoo's father barked, also running.

There was just four of them. So if they needed to Seongwoo figured they could fight. They tried to run faster, the car was just up ahead. No one was getting out of it.

"They must be sleeping still, shoot!"

"Guys, wake up and open the door! We need help"

 

 

Suddenly the two closest cat shifters were on them without much prior warning. They grabbed Seongwoo's jacket hood, causing him to jerk backwards, clutching his throat where the jacket dug into. Daehwi and Jinyoung squared off with the other two. It was clear that though Jinyoung packed a pretty good fight with his legs, neither were the fighting sort. They were overpowered single-handedly.

Seongwoo was being dragged away. He struggled but his body was weak from the drugs still in his system and going hungry. He watched the van where his lover must be, eyes tearing up but a slight smile on his face. The door opened and Daniel poked his head out to see the chaos.

Seongwoo saw him but Daniel was too distracted and far away in the shadows of the lines of cars and rows of trees to notice him. Seongwoo watched with a proud, happy smile as Daniel, followed by Jehwan and Minhyun, stepped out to aid their friends.

 Just like he figured, Daniel was a natural fighter. He knocked one guy out in two punches. Daehwi was rescued. He stood up and Minhyun went to help him. Jinyoung and Jaehwan were struggling with another guy who had Jinyoung pinned to the ground. He didn't get to see the result of that, but seeing that Daniel was on his way to help looking very much like a hero in an action film, he didn't doubt they would succeed.

The other shifters hadn't woken up to help yet it seemed. He kept his eyes on Daniel until he transformed into a cat again and his father used the coat to keep him immobile though he couldn't struggle much.

Well it was good to see you for a brief moment one last time, my incredible, talented, cool and handsome mate. Maybe we will meet again. If you manage to save me someday or I manage to get to you. Until we meet again, my Niel. Stay well and think of me only as I think of you, but please don't be so sad. Surely we will be reunited somehow. I love you to the moon and back and every star between, I miss you so much...

He was amazed at his own perseverance at that particular dark moment. Even in these sorts of desperate, hopeless times, he could find some reserve of inner strength to remain positive. Within minutes, Seongwoo was transferred to the stinky crate and put in the car and they were on the road again. He noticed that the shifters weren’t following them for some reason.

"We slashed their tires. They're not going anywhere anytime soon."

Seongwoo saw Daniel watching them drive off with a look of total desolation and despair on his face. Seongwoo teared up again, pressing his head against the crate.

If only I had the power to break through this wood and fly off this truck to you. You're less than a minute’s distance away.

He cursed that he was not born a chick shifter. He bit and clawed at the crate in desperation. He didn't care if he got hurt he was going to get out and jump out of this truck. Not being with Daniel another minute was worse than dying.

"Boss, he's anxious again."

"Here."

Seongwoo hissed and bit the hand that opened the box and grabbed him but it didn't release him. He yowled as a needle sharply got pricked into his back so both his sides would be sore and bruised. He tried to climb out of the box anyway, but the lower half of his body went almost immediately numb and he wasn't strong enough to pull his dead weight out.

The shifter held his bleeding arm, then roughly pushed him back in. He whimpered as he watched the lid close over him and he fell into partial darkness again against his will. His whole body soon felt numb. He rested his head on his paws and was forced into another drug induced sleep, whining from the pain and his hunger and his sadness, large tears trickling down his cheeks.

Sorry Daniel, I failed to reach you again. If only I had escaped that place a minute earlier. If only I had run faster. If only... I had been born to a different family and we met under normal circumstances. If only... I were just born human. My life has been cursed...

He never wished to be human more than tonight after he saw another side of shifter life that had been kept secret from him and he never wanted to be a part of. This body was easily overpowered and hopeless, leaving him terribly frustrated.

In his dreams, he saw his hypothetical human life with Daniel flashing by from the time they met at the library. They would have a normal, happy, drama free romance, live together, both be famous and enjoy their lives, and they would spend a lot of time with their human friends. It was a perfect dream he never wanted to wake up from, and with the way he was going, he just might never would.

 

 

 Is this what humans call heaven? Am I actually dead from that drug?

Seongwoo wasn't in a box anymore. He was under a warm blanket on a pillow. He wasn't on anything cold for once. He was in his home and his sister was there, strangely in her human form, doing something in the kitchen. Which meant he was in the living room of his old home.

"L-Luna? Why...?"

"Hold on, Seongwoo. Don't try to talk. Save your energy. I am making you food now."

He didn't see that his sister put some powder in the wet food. She put the food down near him, then switched her naked human form for her grey, black spotted feline one that most females in his clan had, the ones that were considered pretty.

Seongwoo felt wierded out. His sister had spent most of her life ignoring him or being cruel to him because even though she did everything father asked and was a perfect shifter daughter her father always only ever cared about Sepngeoo and gave him attention. Though his form of attention had never been any sort of love didn't seem to bother her, if she ever knew the extent of the abuse he had endured. She felt like Seongwoo was more special in their father's eyes and had always resented him for being born superior as others said. Despite they often bad mouthed him behind his family's back because of his rebellious acts and hatred for shifter culture and his cat body. She didn't know about that. She always thought his life was perfect outside of being scolded time to time and that people looked at her as inferior, putting pressure on her to be more exceptional than other females.

She pulled the blanket around him and pushed the food close. "Sorry it's nothing special or very much. We are running low because there's no one to run to town. All the usual runners left to find you so we have been rationing. You look really skinny. I heard he was starving you. How awful, even as a punishmentfor a terrible crime. Go ahead and eat."

 Seongwoo looked at her and the bowl suspiciously.

"It was father's orders. He said you had repented enough. You're only on house arrest. You can eat and sleep but you're not to wonder around. You're to be heavily guarded. I am supposed to care for you and get you any necessities. I will secretly slip you more than he ordered though. We're family and I love you after all."

She licked his head as he chowed down greedily after he was assured it wasn't poisoned or some sort of trick. He felt wetness roll down his fur as she nestled into his ears.

"It’s good to have you back. It's been hard without you. Mother's not hear to protect us or calm him anymore..."

Seongwoo looked closely at her face and growled. "He started beating you then, huh? Since me and mom weren't around to take hits."

 She sniffled and nodded, dropping her head sadly. Her face and arms had scratches that were still healing and her ear was missing a chunk by the tip. Only his evil father's handy work. He sighed and leaned in to give her the cat form of a hug. That was their first hug since they were kittens as far as he could recall. It felt slightly awkward.

“I’m sorry that I didn’t take you with me. I didn’t think he would do that to a girl…”

"I didn't know what you guys were going through. He was so angry about you and mom and he had no one to take it out on besides humans and me. I was glad when he left because I had a chance to be at peace and heal. I'm embarrassed at the way I look though, so I don't go out. Everyone knows anyway though. Of course, they heard it all. I have just been here missing you and mom. I'm sorry I wasn't a better sister. I'm sorry I turned a blind eye on all that you were going through here. I was aware of it and secretly worried about you, you know. I was even happy that you ran away, but I can't believe you were cursed to be caught and drug back here. Oh, Seongwoo, my baby brother, how did you let him catch you...Anyway I can help you, I will. We're going to get you out of here again."

"Thank you. It's good to have one family member I can love and know before we're separated. I didn't know mom had been protecting me all this time. I would have tried to be nicer and closer to you and her. I was immature and foolish, only thinking of my own pain."

"She wasn't my real mom, but I know what you mean. She was actually very nice. She was looking out for us first and acting like she wasn't in order not to get thrown out by him. She treated me nicer than my own mother even when we were young. She didn't deserve what he did at all, she was a good person. That's why I buried her in the prettiest meadow, the one we used to play in when we were younger."

Seongwoo cried as they shared another hug, grieving for their lost mother and their dire situation. "Thank you..."

The rest of the night, they talked to each other about various things. He even shared all about his experiences and his human mate with her, sure she wouldn't tell his father. She sounded envious and curious about the places he described. She had never explored the human world because she was scared, like most of the females. He promised to help her run away and teach her how to live as a human. He couldn't leave her here to meet the date of his mother.

 

 

The next day was more of the same. His sister would get him food and water, make sure he stayed warm and comfortable as he rested his body up, and he would leave to go to the bathroom under guard. He got stared at but no one tried to talk to him.

Seongwoo mostly ignored everyone as he had most of his shifter life which they were usually good at doing in return. Unlike his sister, who once she opened up he realized was really sweet, cool, and rather funny. He was used to cat shifters having the personalities of a rock. Now he wondered if that was really true or if the Ong siblings were just special cases.

That afternoon his father came by. They both cowered and politely looked at the ground, sitting up straight. His father sort of smirked which was far creeper than his usual scowl.

"So, Seongwoo. You rested up enough?"

"Yes father," he replied mutely.

"Then, I think tonight is perfect for the show."

"You put in the medicine as asked?" He asked Luna.

Seongwoo looked at her in shock. He had been tricked into eating that strange medicine he mentioned.

She reassured with ashaky voice, "It will make you strong again, that's what he said it was for."

"You believed him?" He whispered angrily.

"Yes, she is a fool just like her mother. That's why her mother died young. She trusted me too easily."

"You said mother died in an accident."

"It was an accident, on my part. She trusted that I wouldn't let her go. I slipped."

 "Or you let her slip on purpose because she wasn't obedient enough for your tastes."

They gasped as Seongwoo was swatted in his face by his father.

"I don't betray family like you do, brat. Now come. There's a party happening soon and you're the VIP guest."

Seongwoo knew this wasn't going to be a party he enjoyed. There was something terrible and sinister in that medicine he was sure.

"I thought we were waiting until the full moon, Boss?" Felicity came up next to his father.

She swished her tail and flirted with Seongwoo. Seongwoo ignored her. He was starting to feel hot, dizzy, and his vision was growing oddly skewed. It must be a side effect of that mystery medicine.

"We are out of time. His vermin friends are surely coming for him. We need to get the mating ceremony over with as quick as we can."

"I'm certainly not complaining. I have been waiting for Seongwoo nearly seven years now to be mine."

"He's not going to be yours necessarily. The medicine isn't as strong as the full moon, but it will put him in a similar crazed state. Who knows who he will choose to mount. He probably won't be able to see or think clearly. Don't get your hopes up."

"But you promised me, Boss. You said that if I was your mate whenever you needed that I could be Seongwoo's first."

Felicity pouted, swishing her tail at Seongwoo's nose and giving him a flirty, longing look again. He moved away as best he could and avoided eye contact with her as they continued walking.

"Things changed a bit. I didn't think he would be so resistant. Maybe the rumors are right, he may never mate, at least not with shifters or females."

Seongwoo gulped, praying he didn't  discover the truth on his own. His father sighed in frustration. He did as his father instructed, concerned about being hurt more. He had to sit on this blanketed platform.

"The ceremony will begin. The rules are to court as best and long as you can. Seongwoo will choose one of you as his heat symptoms increase. It is all really about luck and being as appealing as possible. Any female that is interested in getting kits with superior looks, senses, height, and athletic abilities, step forward and try your shot. We will go through the night. Usually this is an inclusive, private event but I have decided this can be public, for those of age anyway. Do not mate with females please until Seongwoo has chosen his first mate."

Seongwoo was utterly shocked by the presentation. His father was selling him and his virginity. He was incredibly heartless and perverted.

How could he sell something so precious to him? How could mating mean nothing to these people? How could him being forced to mate be seen as some sort of entertaining spectacle? Would the drugs actually work? He didn't think there was any drug that could make him give up what he had already sworn to only give one person.

Several females started circling him, along with Felicity. He growled and hissed at them. If they tried to step close and rub on him, he bat at them but didn't yet use his claws because he didn't want to hurt anyone. His vision started getting blurrier and he panted, feeling hot and achy. He wasn't able to fight or spin anymore. The cats started rubbing and licking him as he collapsed on the platform. Their scent was all over, further overwhelming him.

Somehow his senses were heightened and he gradually found it tempting. Against his instincts, he started sniffing and licking furry legs and tail tips as they swished around him. The girls giggled and purred, bragging that the great Seongwoo had licked them meaning they were likely to get picked. Felicity started acting more aggressive, worried her 'well-deserved' prize would be stolen from right under her nose.

She laid over him and licked at his ears. "Seongwoo, come to me. I'm the best. I smell the best too, you know it. I will make you feel so good honey. Come to me~"

Seongwoo found the way she talked hypnotizing and the smell and feel of her tongue and paws and tail rubbing on him intoxicating. She came over, pushing the other female cats aside and swung her bottom in front of him. All he could see through his fever and hazy vision was a pink hole in grey fur. And he wanted to fill it.

"Seongwoo baby, come to me~ Yes, that's right, I know that look for sure..." came the sound of a siren. "Stop fighting and let your instincts take over. You're just an animal, like the rest of us..."

His body ached terribly. He felt high from that pungent, wafting scent as he stood up closer to sniff and taste it. He knew that if he mounted her then all his pain would finally be relieved. But there was something stopping him, fighting through the haze to desperately hold him back. He was wobbling on his feet, hesitating to step towards her or go back away.

No, not this one, not this way, she’s not your mate, hold back, don't do it, some distorted voice was telling him, keeping his legs rooted to the floor.

Several minutes later and the voice was faded to almost a quiet, inaudible buzz. He could no longer fight his instincts. Felicity was rubbing and circling around him, along with some other cats. But none was as tempting as her, like his father suggested. Like him, she must have some sort of superior pheremones that made her hard to resist feeling attracted to. Or maybe it was her experience. He grabbed her furry, thin neck with his teeth and lifted his leg to swing across her back.

 "Yes, I knew it would be me. I was always meant to be yours. We're destined mates Seongwoo." She seemed blissful and triumphant, purring noisily and smirking.

Some inner part of him was faintly screaming she was a liar and his fated person was elsewhere. But he couldn't remember details of their name or face or really care currently, he just wanted relief from the unbearable ache.

He licked and then bit her, purring with excitement as he got into the proper position.

"Seongwoo! Stop! Snap out of it! It's a trick! You are being forced, right? Don't do it! We're here to save you! Seongwoo please stop. I love you... "

 The cats either stopped and scattered as footsteps drew close, including Felicity. Seongwoo could slightly see through his haze now the females and their tempting scents were gone. He knew those overlapping voices. His friends had finally come, and just in the nick of time.

However, there was no time for tearful reconciliations, Seongwoo realized as his father rushed forward with his gang to protect the clan from intruders. His friends were clearly ready to fight,  charging straight for their  enemies. The fight for his freedom was about to begin in earnest, with him still too out of it and woozy to even stand up in a meal attempt to join. Really, what a cursed life he led...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello, hello~ Hope you are having a great summer, staying cool and relaxing.
> 
> It's a super angsty, uncomfortable one I know. I sort of tear up when I re-read about the moment where Ongniel just missed each other by a few seconds, so frustrating and sad~ I like those sort of dramatic moments though so I just had to put it in. And that courting scene where Ong almost got date raped was pretty intense I think, I hate Felicia, sorry for adding another villian. It was wierd for me to write about and research cat shifter mating as much as it is for you to read it but it's very crucial. Because of what Ong saw that he's never seen before about his culture, he will choose from then on to become a human and only mate with Daniel in the future. It's a turning point for him.
> 
> It wasn't all storm clouds and rain though since he had a short reunion with some of his friends plus he saw his sister and he will finally be close with her again. Yes, unfortunately both of their mothers passed away, both at the hands of their violent, ungrateful father. He really is quite an evil character. He has hurt his children so much, he never should be a father but he did make Ong which we have to be grateful for, though Ong resembles his mother mostly. 
> 
> The next chapter will be the last of the angsty arc, finally justice is served on Ong's evil father and Ong is rescued. You will see what has happened that week with the shifters from Dan's POV(warning, he's a total, utter mess). There will be a bit of action too, another fight seen with all Wanna One members versus human hating cat shifter gang. Cannot guarantee it will be very good but I imagine it like the street fight in Beautiful.
> 
> Tell me what you thought of this chapter please. Thanks always for your support! I really appreciate it and love reading all your comments. See you again in a week or so~
> 
>  
> 
> <3 Raina


	33. Teamwork to the Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> YES! To the end of angst for this story and for ongniel being reunited and for the evil to be ridden from the cat shifter world~ Get ready for action and drama!

“Daniel, wake up…”

“Hmm, Seongwoo, just five more minutes…”

“No, honey, sorry. No more minutes and I’m not Seongwoo…”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

Jisung shook the blonde boy that was grumbling nonsense snuggling him in the back seat of the van, his face reddening. Sungwoon was glowering from his other side. He had put up with Daniel and Jisung clinging to each other all night but now it was really starting to get to him seeing Daniel replacing his lover or confusing them in his sleep.

Daniel frowned as Sungwoon and Jisung forced him to untangle from the warm body he was attached to and sit up. His eyes cracked open, squinting at the brightness of the afternoon sun beaming through the windows. After a minute of rubbing his eyes, blinking, yawning, and stretching, he seemed to have finally come back to reality, as unpleasant as it was more for him than anyone else in the group. His face appeared somber and exhausted, not from sleep but from worry. His eyes were puffy and red still from the river he had cried.

“Where are we?” he asked groggily.

Jisung attempted a gentle, carefree smile, brushing the back of his head.

“We’re somewhere at the bottom of Gyung-gi. They’re leading us on a wild goose-chase. Woojin said his clan is in the forests of Gapyung which is only two hours away. They’re taking us around the country, trying to lose the trail. We stopped for some gas. There’s a convenience store. Let’s go get something to eat and stretch out our legs.”

Daniel nodded. Sungwoon got out, followed by Jisung who was leading Daniel around holding his hand. Daniel let himself be dragged, moving in a listless fashion with an expression like he had lost his soul. Honestly, he just felt numb right now. His body moved on autopilot and he was incredibly sad and worried deep inside but there were simply no more reserved tears in his glands for him left to cry.

Minhyun and Jaehwan were filling up gas and Woojin and members of his wolf pack were filling up another truck at another station. They had met up a few hours ago since there was just a single road and the wolves were tired of running. They knew what the trucks looked like and both license plates, plus apparently that many shifters left a scent in the air that lasted a couple of hours. Woojin could tell about how long it had been since they had passed through here.

Inside the store, they met Guanlin, Jihoon, Daehwi and Jinyoung. Jihoon immediately passed some snacks he had been trying to choose from to Guanlin and then came over to hug Daniel.

“Are you doing alright?” he asked softly, squeezing and then rubbing his shoulders with a look of concern.

Daniel avoided his eyes and forced a smile.

“Well, I’ve certainly been better…” he said sarcastically.

“Seo—”

Jisung shot him a look not to say his name. Jihoon changed his sentence. “He’s not far from us now. We’re less than an hour behind them. We’re going to catch up soon. They have to eventually stop to rest and eat as well.”

Daniel nodded, feeling somewhat reassured from that.

Just an hour away, huh? Is he resting now? Are they getting him something to eat? Do they know his favorites and that he hates bitter things? Are they keeping him warm?

“That’s good news then. I’m going to get something…”

Daniel didn’t like the way people were looking at him like he was a fragile glass already cracked and about to break into a million pieces if bumped. They wouldn’t even say Seongwoo’s name because earlier it had triggered him to cry every time. 

I just miss him and I’m worried sick. Please don’t hurt him more than he’s already been hurt.

If, no when, he rescued Seongwoo, if he found more of those scars on his beautiful body, he was going to destroy something or someone. He wasn’t a violent person, but Daniel had learned how to fight to defend himself and he could use that offensively if he tried, he figured.

Daniel got two corndogs, a bag of chips, and then went to pick out a drink. He really didn’t have an appetite, though others had been trying to force feed him. He grabbed a coke and then stopped when he saw the dairy section. Right in front of his eyes was the milk section. He spotted Seongwoo’s favorite brand of banana milk.

He had flashbacks of all the moments with him as a cat and a human related to banana milk, such as their first night in the tent when he met him as a cat, their days bonding at the dorm, the first time they met as humans in the library, the time they had his birthday date. Banana milk was something that always linked them, something they both liked and had appeared in their interactions often.

He held one of the plastic yellow barrels fondly, smiling at it with sadness as he brushed his thumb along the smooth, cool surface.

“I’ll buy these for you,” Guanlin said softly, taking the milk and coke from his hand.

Daniel shook his head, snapping out of his trance and blinking unshed tears away.

“Thanks,” he murmured, not looking at the shifter he still rather hated.

Guanlin took the items and stared at him with a smile for another minute. Daniel tried to act cool.

“I know what you’re going through. One day, Jihoon went missing as well. It was only for a day though. He got taken by some stalker fangirls. They took him to a hotel, tied him up, and tried to rape him. I busted a window and nearly beat their brains out when I found him, but Jihoon stopped me. He said that I would regret getting blood on my hands.”

“Did they get what was coming to them?” Daniel whispered a few seconds of thought later, squeezing his fist.

“They’re still in prison. But personally I don’t think it’s enough.”

“So you would have preferred blood on your hands for the sake of the bad guys getting proper justice?”

“Maybe, maybe not. I think both of our thoughts at that time were right. You shouldn’t let your rage control you but you shouldn’t go easy on evil people.”

Daniel hummed and nodded his head as he  turned the plastic bottle in his hand. “Good advice. Very manly.”

“I know.”

They both smirked at each other. Daniel felt strange to be having an actual amicable conversation with Guanlin. It had never happened before since Guanlin always joked, flirted, or took a jab at him which pissed him off. He must be holding back out of kindness, Daniel thought, maybe he isn’t so bad.

“Thank you for coming with us…” he whispered, looking at the ground with shyness.

“You’re my friends. Of course I should help,” Guanlin shrugged coolly. “When the fight starts, let’s team up. I’m actually a pretty good fighter. Let’s kick some furry cat butt.”

Daniel looked at the fist he was holding out. Was he calling a truce? Were they becoming friends? Was this only going to last until Seongwoo was safely with them again?

He didn’t mind so much if the truce lasted beyond that moment. It was good to have more friends on his side, especially ones that were willing to and could fight. Daniel bumped his fist and genuinely smiled for the first time in hours. Guanlin grinned coolly back but there was a new sort of warmth there.

Jihoon appeared, looking between them with a delighted grin. “Aw, who would have thought this tragedy could bring out a miracle? Look at you two, finally becoming friends. So cute~”

They both laughed awkwardly and turned a bit pink, avoiding each other’s eyes.

“Here, add this to the cart,” Guanlin commented, putting the drinks in the basket Jihoon had that was near full.

“Good thing we got paid today,” Jihoon chuckled, sinking a bit at the weight.

They then went to the counter to get the food. Daniel was thankful for them paying since he didn’t have much cash in his wallet currently. He helped Guanlin carry the bags of groceries outside. Daehwi and Jinyoung were staring at something on the convenience store wall outside, Daehwi with his hand over his open mouth.

“What is it?” Guanlin asked, then stopped.

They all stared in horror at a message they somehow had not noticed before. It was the name of a street in what appeared to be red paint or blood.

“Get Woojin…” Jisung told Sungwoon with a grin tone, removing his hand from his mouth.

Jisung forced Daniel to turn away and not look at it. “It’s not…It can’t be, Daniel. Don’t think that…” he tried to reassure with a shaky tone that revealed his opposite fears.

Daniel dropped the bag and clung to Jisung, pressing his face into his shoulder. The others present gathered around him in a group hug as he burst into sons, shaking violently as he was filled with horrid images.

Did those bastards write a message to him with my baby’s blood? Is he seriously injured? If that’s true, I’m going to kill them, every single last one of them…

Woojin ran over and sniffed it. He confirmed that it was indeed cat shifter’s blood and the aura was green. They had been here about two hours ago he guessed. In his opinion though, they should ignore it. He thought that they were just trying to scare them away and give them false hints. They needed to keep going down this road until they picked up a new trail.

“Do you think…is it his…?” Daniel grabbed his arm in panic as they rushed to the vans.

Woojin shook his head with a confident, calm look. “That’s quite a lot of blood. They wouldn’t injure him that bad, he’s too precious. It’s not his. I'm sure of it.”

Daniel sighed and sank to his knees with relief. Woojin patted his shoulder and took the bag he had forgotten.

“Don’t worry, Dan. We’re going to get him back.”

“And get revenge…?” he asked hopefully.

Woojin spoke firmly, “Sure, if we end up needing to fight, we all will. But we’re not going to kill anyone. Especially not you, your hands need to stay clean.”

 

 

The two trucks traveled down the road as quick as they could go, non-stop. Whenever there was a side road, they stopped to let one of the wolves sniff around to make sure the cat shifters hadn’t gone down that way. Then once they had the trail again, they would get back in the van.

This time, Jisung insisted that they think of this as a trip to bring positive vibes to the van. He brought up conversation topics, they played road games, and they listened to music. Daniel of course couldn’t join in the festivities but he felt better seeing that his friends were almost enjoying themselves. He didn’t want everyone to be in a permanently somber mood like him. It was rather good to see the shifters bonding with the humans. Besides their identities, they didn’t really have that much different.

Daehwi as it turned out really liked to sing and dance to girl group songs, just like Jisung. Jisung and Daehwi performed Twice songs together for them. Daniel even joined in on Signal since he liked and knew that one at Jisung’s instance, smiling just slightly for the first time in a day.

Jaehwan and Minhyun sang some ballads for them while the other four in the back waved their hands as if they were at a concert. Jinyoung knew a bunch of stupid jokes and interesting riddles for them. Sungwoon taught them exercises they could do even in the van, like yoga and Zumba. It was an enjoyable time that allowed them all to feel closer, despite the circumstances. 

 

 

Rather than stopping the car to rest when night came, they merely switched drivers so that the first driver could rest. A few people stayed awake to help the driver while the rest slept.

Daniel slept off and on. He would fall asleep for a few minutes but then he would awaken from a nightmare of Seongwoo being tortured and in great pain, calling for him to come save him. Jisung slept on Sungwoon’s lap so he didn’t have someone to snuggle with to make him feel better this night. He tried to think of only the happy times they had shared together while he slept but at some point, even his happy memories would take on a dark shift and then turn into a hellish nightmare, forcing him awake again.

“Here, Dan. Drink this.”

 

Daehwi who was awake to help Jinyoung drive while Jaehwan and Minhyun napped passed him some herbal medicine tea in a bottle.

“It may help you sleep," he suggested quietly.

“Thanks…” Daniel replied, attempting a small, grateful smile.

After he drank it, Daehwi and Jinyoung chatted about some memories from their past that were sweet and comical. Daniel couldn’t laugh along with them since he felt bitter and envious of their situation but he felt calmed by the happy vibes that they gave off. They both smiled, held hands and sweetly pecked each other. If this were a cartoon, he figured that there would be little red hearts flying all around them.

He wondered if him and Seongwoo looked like that to others. Do we appear also like we’re deeply in love and perfect for each other? Will there ever be a time where we can live together and spend every day, nearly every moment of our lives together happily like these couples?

That’s all he wanted for his Christmas wish he realized. He wanted Seongwoo by his side for all eternity safe and no more drama for them. He wanted his precious Seongwoo back for good.

 

 

Minhyun got off the phone with Woojin. "It seems they stopped again. This time probably for the night. They are at a motel a mile up. We're going to go there for the meantime and discuss what to do."

"They are probably tired of their human bodies."

"And wanting to mate."

"Mate? They won't force Seongwoo to, will they?" Daniel asked worriedly, hanging on tightly to the seat in front of him.

Jisung pat his back to sort of calm him down. Jinyoung and Daehwi shook their heads with unsure impressions.

"Put Woojin back on the phone," Daniel demanded urgently to Minhyun. "I need to know the answer."

"Just wait a few minutes. We will see him soon," Jisung assured, pulling him gently back from the seat and petting the back of his head.

Daniel looked at his face, pleading with him to stay calm and hold himself together some more. He obediently was quiet and sat back in the seat but the whole way he was antsy, jittering his leg and biting on his nails which were almost half gone and tender from the last two days. The motel was a ways off the main path and rather run down.

Daehwi scrunched his nose as he got out of the car. "It rather looks like a place people get murdered in..."

Daniel couldn't agree more. It was like the location in the thriller novels he read.

 I bet Seongwoo is scared. He reads those novels too and he gets really bad nightmares from them. Now his nightmare is coming to life.

Jaehwan shivered as he got a look at it. Minhyun whispered in his ear as he rubbed his shoulders, looking at it with apprehension as well. Jisung and Sungwoon stared, similarly chewing on their fingers as if in anxious thought.

The other group came from the truck to join them. Woojin was followed by his two wolf friends Youngmin and Hyungseob. Guanlin was walking next to Jihoon who was eying the hotel. Guanlin whispered in his ear and squeezed his hand. Jihoon stopped looking at it after that but he was still noticeably pale. Daniel figured he must have had his incident in a similar place and it was bringing back some bad memories.

"Ready for some ass kicking, Dan?" Guanlin smiled, throwing his arm over Daniel.

 Any other circumstances, he would have twisted the boy's arm off and snapped at him not to be friendly with his hyung. However, he was feeling okay with Guanlin still from their talk and his kindness earlier.

"I certainly am after I saw that bloody message."

He turned to Woojin and asked the question he had wanted to earlier. "Do you think they will force Seongwoo into...?"

 Woojin shook his head with a serious face. "No, I heard that he has plans at the camp. They're going to have a big mating ceremony. I guess he will be forced to choose someone there."

"Then we need to get him here before they can get any farther. I'm going to go bust in every door until..." Daniel spoke harshly through gritted teeth as he charged towards the building.

 Woojin ran and caught him, gripping him tight around his shoulders. "Stop! I understand how you feel, hyung. But we have to be smart about this."

He forced Daniel to come back to the group so he could explain their next moves.

"If we go in busting doors, they will certainly hear us and run away. It would be good if we knew their location, then we could all go in. But they may be waiting for us fully prepared. I think we need to wait outside and catch them when they leave. If we stay in our cars until the last minute, they will be caught off guard. Some people focus on fighting and the other on getting Seongwoo. They are carrying him in his cat form in a crate. We have to look out for that. The windows will all be short and it may be our last chance to get him before having to invade the camp which could be much more dangerous. Let’s all wait in our cars for my signal, okay? Don't sleep and stay alert. They have been there for nearly an hour already. I think they will come out before the sun rises. If you need sleep, sleep in turns but not deeply."

With that, they started going into their vans. Woojin caught onto Daniel's hood before he climbed in.

"Hyung, don't do anything stupid. If you rush and take this on yourself, you're going to get yourself killed. Then if we saved Seongwoo it will be almost meaningless to him. He needs you, but most importantly he needs you alive. Got it? Stay here until my signal absolutely."

Daniel bit his lip, thinking of retorting despite Woojin's grave, firm look. He was worried they were hurting him or forcing him to mate in there. How could he sit in the van while not knowing if that possibility was true?

 

 

An hour later, Daehwi and Jinyoung went out to go to the bathroom. The others were woken from sleep from Minhyun and Jaehwan who said there was a fight. Opening the door, they saw two of the catshifters dressed in thick winter clothes fighting with Daehwi and Jinyoung. They all joined the struggle. In the end, the shifters ran away, jumping into their getaway car but not before slitting their tires so they couldn't follow.

"He was right there. I had my hands on him. If only the car had been a bit closer. If only they had found out he escaped a minute later," Daehwi was crying on the floor of the open van.

Jinyoung who was sprouting some scratches on his hands, a bruised eye, and a bloody lip from the scuffle had his head dropped over his knees sitting in the seat. Daniel turned from watching the truck with his imprisoned lover inside speed away to hold Daehwi's hands.

"What was that?" He gasped.

"Oh, Daniel. I'm so sorry. I failed you. I had Seongwoo in my hands a few minutes ago. But I lost him," Daehwi sobbed and hugged him tight.

"What's he talking about?" he pressed Jinyoung  "You saw Seongwoo?"

Jinyoung solemnly nodded. "On our way back to the car, we spot him running away under the car. He transformed but he said that he couldn't stay in the form long. I think they have him drugged and they were starving him. And he seemed weak...We were running to the car when the shifters grabbed us. It seems they drug him away."

"Why didn't I see him?" Daniel cursed, fighting tears. "I didn't sense he was there. I had no idea. I should have saved him. Twice he needed me and I could have saved him but I was focusing on something else. He's the most important person in the world to me, yet why am I always not there at the moment when he needs me? I can't keep any of my promises. I'm a failure as a boyfriend."

Daniel cried as he punched his fists into the car door hard enough for his skin to crack and start to bleed. Daehwi put his hands in front to stop him, still crying.

"Please don't blame yourself  this time too, Daniel. You were distracted trying to save us. They took him into the shadows before you had even stepped out. If only he had called out to you. If only I had told you to go after him. You may have been able to get him back. It was our fault this time, not yours."

They clutched each other and fell to the ground. Several others surrounded him to comfort with hugs and pats. Minhyun wrapped his fists with toilet paper to stem the bleeding.

"Did he look okay at least?" he asked weakly, his voice thick with tears. 

Daehwi just shook his head and cried some more. Daniel's heart sank further. He almost couldn't bear to hear the rest. He sighed and looked up at the black sky. Jinyoung sank down to hug Daehwi. Daehwi released Daniel now he was sure he wouldn't injure himself further and cuddled into Jinyoung's arms. Jinyoung held him and pet his shoulders. They were all tense, waiting to hear about Seongwoo's condition.

"It wasn't so bad. He had some bruises on his stomach and ribs and he had two scratches on his face. Shifters heal faster than normal and we don't die easily though so don't worry."

"You can still scar..." Daniel whispered.

Jinyoung nodded with a dazed faraway look as if he had seen Seongwoo's scars as well.

"Yes, if the cuts are deep, then we can scar. ..."

 Minhyun sighed and went back to the car, saying he needed to call Woojin and report as well as call a repair man, then they were going to the location of the camp rather than following the trail of the shifters as Woojin suggested, predicting they would soon be heading there. Jaehwan and Sungwoon encouraged the others to get in the van since it was cold.

They climbed in, silently waiting with the atmosphere extremely gloomy and sombered. Daniel nursed his aching, bleeding hand while sighing, staring out the window. It started to rain so he listlessly watched the rain drops racing each other down the window. Daehwi was sniffling, still not fully able to stop crying. Jinyoung had his arm around him, petting the back of his head. Jaehwan, Jisung, and Sungwoon were asleep or just about there. Minhyun was on the phone off and on with Woojin and the repair guy.

 

 

Within a couple of hours, the repair guy found them and put on new tires and they were on the road again towards Gapyung which was quite a ways Northeast of them. According to Woojin's instructions, they bought camouflage clothes. When they reached the forest where the camp was located in, they hid close enough that the shifters could pick up the sounds but they couldn't be easily discovered.

They waited until Woojin's group came an hour later. Woojin told them that the cat shifters had entered from another side luckily. They waited for his cue and then they all walked scattered through the trees towards the camp. When they got to the camp, which was a series of home made fort like houses and a large common area with firepits and a platform over the dirt ground, they noticed there was some sort of party or ritual going on. Several cats were gathered around watching some other cats circling the raised wooden platform in the middle.

"Yah yah, isn't that Seongwoo?" Jisung whispered, smacking Daniel's arm as they hid behind some scrubs.

 "Where?" He craned his head and brushed away some leaves, blocking his vision.

"In the middle on that platform. Those must be female cats. This is the mating ceremony Woojin was talking about!" He replied with hushed horror at the realization.

"That's right. Seongwoo was popular, Woojin told me and he said as much himself...But he wouldn’t fall for a girl shifter, he has me."

"He doesn't seem like himself though. It seems he sort of likes that one."

"No way. Are his heat symptoms kicking in?"

"The only thing that would make him mate against his will is the full moon or..." Woojin stopped. Daniel hit him impatiently to continue, his expression stricken with anxiety.

"Or what?"

"I heard there is a drug that has recently been developed in some top secret lab and it's hard to get your hands on. If you eat it for a few days you will get heat symptoms severe to the point equivalent of the full moon."

"Shit, that explains it..." Daniel said gravely as he thought of the time before when Seongwoo had lost himself because of his instincts and been another person.

 Don't do anything stupid. You could get yourself killed. Woojin had reminded him.

Daehwi had also told him about how Seongwoo had worried about his father seeing him and figuring out their relationship. But Seongwoo was about to do something he would later seriously regret and threatened to tear their relationship apart. He wouldn't let anyone be Seongwoo's first besides him. Not against his will. That was too special to both of them.

The others were shocked as Daniel ran out of the shrubs into the clearing, but quickly followed him, all yelling at Seongwoo to get him hopefully out of his drug phased state. Luckily all the females scattered when they heard unfamiliar voices. There was some tension as the cats all looked at them for a while. Then a few males transformed into their human forms, naked, older but still well-built muscles with their fingers transformed into claws and their sharp canines extended. They hissed, stepping towards the younger group.

Seongwoo looked confused, still lying on the platform between them. Then his eyes went to Daniel and he meowed softly in greeting and smiled before passing out.

"Shoot Seongwoo..." Daniel panicked, rushing to him.

 "It's okay. Its just a side effect of the drugs. Daehwi, Jisung and Jinyoung will keep an eye on him. You focus on the fight," Woojin consoled him with a few thumps on the back. 

They had decided these three shouldn't fight but be in charge of merely keeping Seongwoo safe instead. They picked up the cat and brought him close. Daniel reached out to pet him and kiss his forehead while he was still asleep in Jisung's arms.

"You're alright now, pretty boy. We're going to get you out of here real soon. Hang in there, my love," he whispered against the fuzzy ear, then gave one last kiss, feeling anxious at their coming seperation yet again.

He sighed as he turned to his friends that had the mission of getting their target back to the van safely. "Take care of him for me. Please."

"Like he's a national treasure," Jisung promised.

Then his attention was turned to the shifters who were coming after them. The group turned with their backs to each other surrounding Jisung who was holding Seongwoo as the hissing shifters circled them, claws and fangs bared, and stepped closer at Seongwoo's fathers orders. He had also now turned into human form, his ugly scar and nasty, hateful look marking him. Daniel glared at him fiercely with his fists up, waiting eagerly for the opportunity to whack him hard.

While they faced off, he headed for Seongwoo, demanding they give him back. Daniel rushed towards him when he almost successfully swiped at his mate, catching him off guard and shouting at the group to run. The three took off into the forest. The others were battling the cat shifters and Daniel soley faced off with Seongwoo's father. He didn't reveal who he was because he was heeding Seongwoo's warning, but he did land a few solid punches and kicks, feeling better when the object of his hatred shed some blood and cursed. Then, he found himself ganged up on by two other burly men. They held his arms and Seongwoo's father took the opportunity to flee.

Daehwi, Jinyoung and Jisung tore through the forest, tossing debris and tree limbs behind them to disguise their trail. It was futile because cat shifters could follow smells faintly and auras when they left a track. It wasn't long until Seongwoo's father caught up, being chased by a gray cat who was clawing and biting at his ankles. Jisung ran between Daehwi and Jinyoung, Jinyoung watching the back to see how much distance was left, Daehwi making sure to avoid any dead ends or dangerous holes. 

"Luna, you bitch! I'll really kill you this time! Get the fuck off!" They heard the scary man shout fiercely, making them stop as to what was going on, who was Luna, were they friend or foe.

They hid behind some bushes and watched. The cat had forced Seongwoo's father to trip. It was hissing and clawing at his arms, refusing to be thrown. Jisung held the sleeping Seongwoo closer, who mewled in his sleep.

"Luna must be his family or close friend?" he whispered in wonder. "She's a good fighter, even able to take on a man that huge as a cat."

The grey cat bit and scratched the human fiercely as he cursed and yelped in pain. Every time he tried to throw it off, the cat eventually came back with lightning speed, preventing him from pursuing Seongwoo, wherever the people had taken him. They learned through the man’s seemingly one-sided conversation that the cat named Luna was Seongwoo's sister.

The ground suddenly started to shake under their feet, making them all gasp. The two shifters ceased their battle as well. They all looked up to see that dust, debris, and rocks were coming down the hillside in one giant, daunting brown cloud. Their hiding spot became revealed as they had something else to focus on.

"Landslide! Get away from there!" Daehwi yelled more to Luna than the evil shifter, trying to steal Seongwoo and torture him again.

Luna jumped at the last minute, her nimble limbs allowing her to escape the debris by bounding a meter every step as it came crashing down nearly ten feet per second. Their father transformed into a cat to try to escape quicker but in the middle of his transformation, a new pile of rocks came from much more nearby and burried him deep with a crash. They all waited, staring at the pile expecting like in the Terminator for him to suddenly arise nearly fine from the pile of debris. Several minutes later when the shaking stopped and dust cleared though there was still nothing and they could finally relax and let their guard down. They all sighed in relief and looked at Seongwoo, who was miraculously still sleeping.

"Thank god we hid on this side of the road," Jinyoung commented as he scratched the furball's ears. "We could have become pancakes."

"He's gone, buddy. We did it. You're safe. Wake up please," Daehwi commented, patting his back and smiling softly.

Jisung held him tight and leaned down to gently kiss his nose. "It's okay. He's been through a lot. Sweet dreams, rest well as long as you need, Seongwoo-yah."

"Thank god the bastard's gone~" Their heads whipped around at the sound of a girl's cheerful voice and whooping sound.

The grey cat, Luna, had transformed into a tall, skinny human girl with blue eyes and wavy black hair. She had quite a resemblance to Seongwoo and was quite pretty despite the healing scars she carried on her golden, dirty skin that had undoubtedly been inflicted from her father just as Seongwoo's had. She wiped her hands as she smiled wide in the direction of where her father laid crumpled and smashed to bits under hundreds of jagged, heavy stones. They gasped and stepped back as she looked their way.

"Thank you for coming here. And for the warning. You guys have some impeccable timing. I assume you're friends of my brothers?" She asked with a sweet, pretty smile also quite similar to Seongwoo's.

They nodded and handed him to her as she came closer. They didn't fully trust her but seeing as she risked her life to save her brother and she was speaking of him fondly, they asssumed she had the right to at least have a chance to hold him. She cradled the sleeping cat gently in her arms and kissed his head.

"Seongwoo, you're safe now, thank god. You're finally free. We're both free."

"Free?" Jisung asked, wondering if she was some sort of slave.

She flushed and grinned, rocking and petting Seongwoo's back almost like he was her baby.

"Seongwoo told me he would take me out of here if that's what I wished. I don't really like shifter life anymore. I want to explore the human world, though it scares me honestly. I want to become brave like my brother and find true happiness someday. Or is that not okay for me? Do I look strange to humans?"

They thought her accent was rather strong compared to Seongwoo, later learning it was because she had never interacted with humans and her father had suppressed the siblings from using their human bodies often. They assured her she looked like any other human and she was nearly as beautiful as her brother. Luna smiled proudly as she looked down at him.

She looked at him with utter adoration. "He's handsome in his human form then? That is good to hear. Was he popular with ladies? Here he was awed after by every female."

"Very. Men as well. He is a model now."

"What's that?" She cocked her head in a similar habit to Seongwoo's, making them think it was definitely a cat shifter thing.

"No time to explain. We should get you back to the van."

She shook her head. "Not yet. I have to go help. Seongwoo isn't able to protect his mate. He would want me to help keep him safe if he was conscious, I'm sure, seeing as how much he seemed to adore him. Which one is he?"

 She gave Seongwoo back to Jisung and changed her fingers into claws, getting ready to run. They thought about stopping her but it was impossible to tell with the noises going on back there if it was going well for their side or the other's. They figured they needed all the help they could get.

"The tall, blond one. His name's Daniel."

 She nodded coolly and then took off, running faster than they expected, suggesting she may have inherited some superior genes as well. "Take my brother somewhere safe!"

 "I'm going to help too."

"Jinyoung, no, I don't want to lose you..." Daehwi gripped him with concern as he tried to follow.

"You're human now, remember?"

You could easily die and I couldn't live with that, he thought but didn't voice aloud. Jinyoung was able to read his mind right away. 

"So could our friends, some of which are human too. I can't have them die without trying to fight as well. I will feel guilty forever. I will come back, we all will. Love you, to the moon and back."

Daehwi clung to him, shaking his head, tears falling from his eyes, silently pleading him not to go as Jinyoung caressed his cheeks. They shared a sweet kiss and then Jinyoung took off as fast as he could run. Jisung grabbed Daehwi's hand and squeezed.

"They will be alright. They're a team and there's many shifters. Let's focus on getting who we came here for to safety finally, hmm? Seongwoo has been through a lot and Daniel will be furious if we bring him into the chaos again.

"Yeah, you're right," he sniffled.

They both looked at the sleeping cat curled up in Jisung's arm, oblivious to all the drama going on or the dangerous sacrificies being made for his sake with a smile and pets. Then, they rushed to get out of the forest and into the van. Because Seongwoo was worth risking their lives for, that's why they had agreed to this plan.

 

 

The fight was going on the group's side currently. Minhyun and Jaehwan were wrestling with one guy. Woojin and the other wolves were in their animal forms, pouncing on and dragging shifters away from the rest of the group. Sungwoon was in a match with two guys all wrestling and punching each other to a bloody pulp. Daniel was taking on two guys at once showing off some impressive boxing skills. He was good at ducking and giving jibes in the ribs or head.

Then, Jinyoung and a female shifter who quickly introduced herself as Seongwoo's sister so they wouldn't go against her helped. Jinyoung was good at kicking and could throw a solid punch. Luna was good at dodging and slashed at other shifter's faces with lightening speed, trying to go for their eyes with her claws. Then, Luna spred the news that their father had just died to those that were shocked by her rebellion.

 Someone went to check and when it was confirmed most of the cat shifters backed off as they didn't have any orders or purpose to fight them anymore. They said to just take Seongwoo peacefully and they wouldn't bring up the incident with any other clans.

Suddenly a grey cat transformed into a human with flaming red hair and purple eyes, attacking Luna from behind. She slashed Luna's back and grabbed her hair. Luna shouted, turning around, clawing and hissing instinctively. They both grabbed each other's hair, snarled, and glared at each other.

 "You again, Felicity. Your obsession with my brother is disgusting. He's almost half your age."

"You are just jealous you couldn't mate him yourself since you're related," she spat.

Then Felicity sank her teeth into her neck and Luna screamed. Then, suddenly a wolf flung the female shifter off, biting her hip in warning. She struggled and clawed at the wolf. Then he moved to her throat and bit. He didn't kill her, just made her pass out. Luna had bent to her knees on the ground, nursing her bleeding neck. Woojin transformed and caught her in his arms as she fell over.

"Miss? Ong's Sis? Are you okay? Is the cut deep?"

 She smiled at him gratefully and shook her head. Woojin blushed when he got a good look at her close up, thinking that she was really pretty, even better than Ong. Maybe I don't like only males after all, he wondered.

 "It's okay. What's your name? I should know my savior's proper name."

"Woojin. You?"

"Luna..."

"Aw. Like the moon."

"Because I was conceived and born on a full moon."

"Really? That's kind of cool because I was too."

She giggled and flushed, looking at him with a strange sort of fondness. "Moon buddies then."

"Yeah, moon buddies." He pretended to howl which made her laugh again. "You have a pretty laugh too..."

 "Does that mean I'm pretty elsewhere to you?" She smiled wide, her cheeks pinkening.

"Um, yes, no, I mean yes, um...ugh, I suck at words," he admitted with a stutter and deep, frustrated sigh.

 She giggled and then seemed to grow sleepy from the blood loss. Woojin lifted her into his arms as she drifted off. The others were heading back to the car and he needed to catch up with them. They needed to all reunite with Seongwoo and celebrate a mission succeeded after all. He had no time for romancing now. He neeeded to get something to stop her bleeding.

 

 

When Daniel reached the van, no one was surprised he went straight inside. He had been antsy to get back once the fighting stopped, though Jinyoung had assured him a hundred times his mate was safe and sound. Seongwoo was still sleeping on Jisung's lap. Daehwi had been watching and petting him too, but as soon as they were back he jumped out to be with his lover he was happy to see virtually unharmed.

"How is he?" Daniel asked, holding out a shaky hand. He touched the brown, spotted cat as if he was porcelain.

He was afraid that Seongwoo being here was a dream and if he touched him, his hand would go through or the dream bubble he was in would pop. Which would be so incredibly cruel of god to do to him and heartbreaking not to mention.

"He's still...oh--!" Jisung commented in surprise as Seongwoo opened his eyes up as if all he needed in the world as a wake up call was Daniel.

 He quickly shifted into his human form with immense effort despite the humans telling him not to push himself. He just had to hold and kiss his lover. Daniel sat next to him after Jisung put him in a coat and blanket with a sweet smile and happy tears filling his eyes, feeling just as eager to be physical. Seongwoo smiled back, crying as well. He touched Daniel's face and then caressed him when he realized he was real this time. Daniel did the same, brushing his thumbs sadly over the scabbed cuts on his cheeks.

"Seongwoo."

"Daniel."

They choked just saying each other’s names and weren't able to say anymore. There was so much they wanted to say that they didn't know where to begin and they were too full of emotions to organize their thoughts. Both of them hugged each other tight then, tears falling down their face in relief, merely murmuring the most important thing.

 "I'm sorry I did something so stupid."

Jisung sniffled at the sight of their reunion and chuckled. "You two are really too similar these days."

The door swung open and Minhyun and Jihoon stuck their heads in in the van.

"Is he awake?" They asked with excitement, swearing they had heard that sweet, airy, familiar tone.

The two were still hugging, Daniel petting Seongwoo's hair. Seongwoo looked over Daniel's shoulder and smiled at them.

"Seongwoo hyung! I missed you! Don't hog his hugs, Dan! Move over and give me my bestie!" Jihoon whined like a two-year old looking at Seongwoo with total adoration.

 Daniel put his jacket around Seongwoo as well in case he was still cold and kissed his forehead before letting him go see the others. Since he was still feeling weak frim the drug and the shock of all he had been through, Daniel had to hold him up and help him walk around. They all took their turns hugging and expressing their love and gratitude towards Seongwoo. It was clear how attached they were to him and how him being gone had torn a big part of their hearts out that were slowly getting filled up by his smile, laughter, brightness positivity, and sweet words.

While the others fawned over the awakened Seongwoo, Woojin took care of Luna. Although she insisted it was healing already, he washed off the drying blood on her neck and put a bandage around using his own shirt which he tore up. Then he zipped his jacket up, embarrassed he was exposed. She was red faced and hadn't been able to stop staring at his built body.

"There, hopefully there won't be any scars."

She laughed rather bitterly. "I have so many already, what's the point? I’ve been damaged goods no one wants to mate with all winter. That's going to be the story of my life, I bet."

"I would mate with you," he blurted out, then covered his mouth with his hand, blushing furiously.

She beamed and laughed. "Silly wolf boy, we can't mate. We're different species."

"Doesn't matter if you mate in human form. I heard it's better anyway." He reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear because it looked like it was tickling her face.

"Are you courting me now? Or is this a wolf thing?" She narrowed her blue eyes in a teasing, flirtatious manner.

He scratched the back of his neck. "Maybe sort of both? I don't know, never done it really..."

They both laughed and joked around, forgetting to go back to the rest of the group. On the way back home, Daniel and Seongwoo switched cars with the wolf shifters so they could be with Seongwoo's sister who wanted to ride with Woojin. She sat in the front seat talking animatedly to Woojin about humans and the city. Guanlin and Jihoon were fast asleep in the middle, leaning their heads and shoulders against each other since before they even got in the car.

 Daniel had Seongwoo lay in the backseat, using his lap as a pillow.

"Are you uncomfortable anywhere? Do you need something?" He asked while stroking his cheek and hair and smiling fondly.

Seongwoo sleepily smiled back and shook his head. "I have you with me again. I'm comfortable and need nothing else."

Daniel beamed and chuckled. I love you, he mouthed and Seongwoo mouthed it back. Daniel wanted to talk to him more but he didn't actually have anything particular in mind to talk about since all that mattered was they were together and Seongwoo could never be hurt or threatened again. Also, Seongwoo was clearly exhausted. He had hardly said anything and he kept looking like he was going to keel over and pass out on the floor. Daniel had asked him to switch into his cat form so he could heal and restore his energy faster but Seongwoo insisted on staying in the form he had missed and the one that he felt was his true character.

He stayed silent, brushing his hair and holding his hand as Seongwoo fell into a deep sleep. Daniel looked at him with a warm smile, tracing those features he had adored and missed terribly with his eyes.

Ah, why are you so perfect? I never knew that I could ever love someone this much more than dancing, my mom, or my cats honestly. What did I ever do in a past life to deserve you in my life, Seongwoo?

 

 

The van went to the dorms first to drop off the humans and Seongwoo. They were going to take Luna in as well but Jisung insisted their dorm was cramped already. Woojin then said he could probably get her to be hired in the company and stay in the dorms, promising to teach her how to act human. Luna gave Daniel and Seongwoo hugs.

"You take care of my brother, alright?" 

Daniel nodded and smiled, wrapping his arms around Seongwoo's shoulder so he blushed.

"I will."

"I will definitely come by often to visit. We have dates to catch up on."

Seongwoo commented, "Our dates come first."

She laughed brightly and agreed before waving goodbye.

 The Ong siblings waved and smiled in a similar way as Jihoon and Guanlin blew kisses at them. Seongwoo expected Daniel to be angry when Guanlin called to Daniel 'I love you hyung' but he merely kissed his fingers and sent him a little heart.

"Are you and Guanlin actually friends now?" He asked with shock.

Daniel nodded. "Aw, I miss everything cool," he pouted.

"Not my birthday though. It's in a couple days."

"Oh, thank god. I would be upset if I didn't show you my surprise d--" Seongwoo cutely covered his mouth with both hands and flushed.

Daniel tickled his sides, trying to get it out of him. "Surprise what? Diamond? Donut? Drone? Dog?"

Jisung smirked like he knew but wouldn't say. Minhyun, Jaehwan, and Sungwoon hugged and kissed Seongwoo's cheek, saying they loved him and for once Daniel let it happen without blocking or complaining.

When they went up to the dorm room, Jisung stole Seongwoo away to take a shower. Daniel insisted he could do it but Jisung said that he was going to get distracted by perverted thoughts and not clean him properly. Daniel waited for them to come out on the bed, his arms crossed in a pout.

"Are you happy?" Jisung asked with a smile as he scrubbed down Seongwoo's body carefully.

He had lots of grime and dirt to clear away. Seongwoo giggled and nodded. He had been goofing around with the bubbles, splashing and laughing.

"I love showers! It's good to be clean again."

"Aigoo, if I didn't know better I would think that you were that OCD ajussi Minhyun's biological son. You're so clean obsessed."

Seongwoo blew bubbles into the air and beamed as he watched them float down. "Being clean makes you feel fresh and healthy, that's why I like it."

"Yet you hug dirty Daniel at night. That doesn't seem to bother you," Jisung teased.

"Daniel is an exception. I don't mind if he's not clean," he said with a blush. "Because he's my mate after all."

"You love me second, though right?"

"Hmm, it's between you and Minhyun, I guess. " Seongwoo hummed with a thoughtful expression.

Jisung pretended to be offended. Then, Seongwoo hugged him around the waist. Jisung squeezed him back tight and rocked around.

His voice was full of warmth and tenderness as he said, "It's so good to have you back, Ongie."

 "It's really good to be back," Seongwoo murmured, nestling into Jisung's sudsy stomach.

"Don't ever scare us like that again. When you disappeared, I thought my heart was ripped out. Daniel was more distraught than I could have ever imagined him being. He was like a vegetable, just crying all the time and refusing to eat. We couldn't even say your name. We were really lost without you."

Seongwoo bit his lip and looked down at his bare, wet feet that still needed a good scrubbing to get the dirt off.

"I'm sorry. He told me not to go out. You told me to wait at the restaurant. I did something stupid and caused you both pain. I won't every disobey you again. About anything. I will listen really well."

 "That's good. You should listen to us. We care about you and we know a lot about the world." He kissed the top of Seongwoo's head and squeezed tighter. 

There was a knock at the door. "Hey, I need to shower too. Soon there will be no hot water left."

"Okay, we will be out in a second."

Seongwoo had a quizzical look with that cute feline tilt of his head. He still wasn't good at being fully human despite Jihoon’s lessons. It was difficult to get rid of his habits. Jisung tried to explain Daniel's unusual behavior.

"He is lonely and anxious without you by his side. I expect he will be very clingy for about a week. Just go with it and humble him. I am not exaggerating when I say that he missed you to the point of dying, really."

"I know that feeling," he nodded with a grave look as he remembered what he'd been through the last week.

Jisung pet his head and smiled with sympathy. "Sure, you both had it rough. Well, we're both not letting you out of our sights unless you have some other trustworthy supervisor."

 I will never be alone again. I will be with my human friends or my shifters friends my whole life. No privacy, darn. But he could understand how they all felt. They just really loved and cherished him. He had found the family and friends he had always wanted 

 

 

When they got out, Daniel hugged Seongwoo tight.

"Daniel..." Seongwoo murmured, hugging him back sweetly.

"No, Dan. You stink and your covered in dried blood and dirt. You will get him all dirty again. Hurry and clean up first before snuggle time!" Jisung forced them apart and pushed him in the bathroom. Daniel went in with a sulky face. Seongwoo released him reluctantly while giggling.

When Jisung was gone, Seongwoo cracked open the door and looked inside. He was curious about what Daniel's body looked like fully. Daniel had his eyes closed, rubbing back his hair as he let the water wash down him. He sighed in pleasure. Then he got soap on his hands and started rubbing the dirt and red stains from his golden, smooth skin.

 Seongwoo flushed darker and gulped as he watched from the crack, smiling as he bit his finger nail. Daniel seriously had the best body of humans or shifters he had ever seen. Before long it was going to be his, or could be anyway, if he decided to mate and lose his shifter form.

Honestly, with his sister gone he had no reason to go back there and he was sick of the heat waves. He also felt after seeing the darker side related to mating that shifters were sort of gross. He preferred to identify as a human who mated with one person for a long time out of love and understood loyalty. He was held up a bit on the fact he could get hurt or sick easier though, as well as that there were times his shifter body came in handy, like the fact Daniel really liked it now when he transformed halfway.

Jisung caught him and shut the door, scolding him. Then he stopped and started complaining about how Daniel must have corrupted his innocence. Seongwoo told him that they hadn't fully mated yet, so part of his innocence was still intact.

Jisung seemed concerned and then livid. "You didn't? I gave you guys a whole night! Why, what happened? Was he too pushy? Did he hurt you?"

 Seongwoo flushed and smiled shyly. "It didn't hurt. It felt good for the most part. It's just I wasn't ready."

"Aw, I thought you were but maybe you haven't known each other long enough, I see. Take your time and go slow. Your first time only happens once and then you can never get your innocence back."

He wrapped his arm around Seongwoo in a comforting manner. Seongwoo nodded.

"Only I am a bit scared because the full moon is coming. If I don't before then..."

"What? You will tear off all his clothes and force him and not even remember it?" Jisung laughed, thinking he was saying nonsense when actually it was the truth and Seongwoo's greatest fear.

 He didn't comment. Daniel luckily came out at that time in only boxers.

"Yah, Kang Choding, there is a child present here. Put on a freaking shirt!" Jisung complained.

Daniel smirked evilly and sat next to Seongwoo, immediately wrapping his arms and pulling him against his chest. He was warm, wet, and smelled terrific. Seongwoo leaned in and smiled as he sniffed him.

"Seongwoo told me to be comfortable as I usually did when he was a cat, right, babe? Didn't you say that?"

 Seongwoo nodded but flushed at the feel of his hot, bare, heavily muscled skin that made him think certain naughty things. Maybe I should have thought that statement through fully.

Daniel commented smugly, "See, Seongwoo is fine with it. I will sleep like this like I used to."

Jisung looked concerned but didn't say anything more. He went to go do his skin routine. He later called him over but Daniel playfully refused to let him go. Seongwoo decided he would opt for staying in Daniel's warm, snug embrace tonight and care for his skin tomorrow. The blonde squeezed him and then nuzzled and kissed all over his face and neck, making him giggle.

"Daniel, I am not your cat!"

"You may not be a cat right now but you will always be my pretty boy. I love you so you get lots of kisses like Peter and Rooney. More actually. Be prepared!"

"Ah, save me somebody from this kissing monster~" Seongwoo giggled and squirmed as he was held in a death grip and attacked with noisy, wet smooches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Keeping cool in the summer heat I hope. I've been busy with work right after coming back for traveling boo hoo~ I found time to edit this chapter quite a few times, but I'm honestly not fully satisfied with it. I wanted it to be emotionally intense, then thrilling, and then sweet and funny and fluffy towards the end. I wanted you guys to really focus on Dan and Guanlin finally becoming friends through their shared anxiety at having their lover taken from them and harmed and Woojin finding a mate and you coming to really like Luna, but I don't know if I succeeded in any of that. I keep reading, looking for what is missing, but I guess I will never find it and I don't want to disappoint you guys by updating too late to search for it and contemplate about it. Hopefully it is just in my imagination and you saw all of these things and liked this chapter. I'm sorry really if this chapter let you down in any way. The next chapters will be the ending and the epilogue which will be much more down my ally since it's fluffy, sensual, funny, romantic and full of friendships as well. I think this arc was hard for me to write since I've never written action angst and since it's my first attempt, there's of course going to be feelings of regret and anxiousness about it. Hopefully, my future attempts will turn out better, and at least I can say that I challenged myself. This chapter was mainly about how important friendship is and to show you how close the group is through their rescue mission which I feel I succeeded in at least. Tell me what you think of this chapter, the last of the final angsty arc~
> 
> Comments and kudos much appreciated! If you really like the story, let your wannable friends know please~
> 
>  
> 
> <3 Raina


	34. 2 Become 1(Final)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What could this title mean hehehe. Your long awaited smut is here~ The fluffy romantic variety. See notes at the end <3

Seongwoo was loving life currently. He almost thought that getting kidnapped was worth it, if only he hadn't been terrified, unconscious, or depressed through most of it. The reason was because that his roommates were glad enough to have him back and worried enough that they were waiting on him hand and foot the night he was rescued and the following day. They got him anything he asked for, making him feel like the princes he had seen with the golden crowns and tons of assistants in some movies.

If he licked his lips, Daniel would ask if he was thirsty and before he had replied he was back at his side with a carton of banana milk he had stored in the fridge. If he touched his back, Jisung would come over and start to scratch it for him, realizing he must have had some sort of itch. If he shivered, Daniel would wrap a blanket and his arms around him, assuming he was cold. He rubbed his foot once and Daniel assumed he had sore feet so he gave him a foot rub. When he coughed just once, Jisung gave him cough drops and checked his temperature. If he looked at something like a book or a snack for more than a few seconds, then Jisung would fetch it for him. These were just a few examples of several tens of instances where his roommates cared for him.

He caught on to what was going on after an hour or so that following day which was luckily a day off from school and work for all of them. He decided he would have fun with his new power while it lasted. Actually, he had known ever since he met Daniel who was always willing to shower him with affection that he secretly very much enjoyed being pampered.

He made his voice a cute, baby like version of whininess he had learned from Daehwi. "Daniel, I'm sooo hungry~ Can you make me some ramen? Jisung, I am sooo bored~ Can I play against you on the musician game?"

Daniel usually hated cooking and Jisung hated video games because he found out he was worse than Seongwoo, which put him at the bottom of the game related pecking order in their group. After a few hours of playing royalty, he was tired. It had been fun ordering them for a bit, especially making Daniel do aegyo and Jisung do some funny impressions from dramas he liked, but it was more exhausting than he thought to come up with ideas for orders as he was by nature a kind, selfless person.

When he yawned, Daniel immediately put a pillow over his lap, offering to let him sleep there. Seongwoo laid on his side, curled up under a throw blanket, his head on Daniel's knees as Daniel gently stroked his hair. Seongwoo smiled and giggled, thinking how great this day was. He discovered he really liked being lazy, having everything done for him, and being the center of attention on top of being pampered.

"You sure have been enjoying yourself, haven't you? Bossing us around like a prince," Daniel joked, softly chuckling as he ran his fingers gently through the tuffs of hair at the crown of his head.

Seongwoo nodded, smiling wider with slight guilt. "It feels great. I like Seongwoo day. I wish it could last every day."

"It can if you want it to. Shall we play this game tomorrow? I don't mind it and Jisung is completely in his mother figure element. He would do this to you every day if he wasn't worried about spoiling you."

"What does that mean?" Seongwoo looked up at him curiously, it having been quite awhile since he came across a word he didn't know.

"You don't need to know because it is something bad that I know my sweet, precious baby will never be in this lifetime or any other lifetimes." Daniel leaned down and kissed his temple softly.

"No, it would be too much to ask you guys to do that. You are not my maids or my slaves. We are all friends."

"I don't mind, Seongwoo. I love you a ridiculous amount. It's really fun taking care of you. And after all you have done for me, all you have helped me with, and all the ways you have encouraged me, it is the least I can do. Let's make this Seongwoo day into a Seongwoo week, in fact. What do you want to do next?" Daniel continued petting with magic hands and a soothing, heartwarming tone only Seongwoo ever got to hear. 

"Hmm, I want to sleep, just a short one hour nap or so. Then I want to wake up and play some silly games with you both. I like games even though I stink at them enough I got the nickname 'Ong Failure.' Then I want to watch some movie I haven't seen yet while eating popcorn and ice-cream. You can feed me, but you have to dip the popcorn in the ice-cream so it's covered all over. Then, hmm... I want to have another pillow fight and bother Jisung with his stuffed animals like we did last week. Last, I want to take a shower with you this time and I want to cuddle and kiss until we fall asleep late."

"Wow, you really thought a lot. That sounds like such a perfect 'us' sort of date actually. Anything you want is yours. Let's do all of it." Daniel then affectionately ruffled his hair, patting him on his blanket covered shoulder.

 

 

After Seongwoo's nap, they played a game with gummy worms where they had to try to make the gummy fall of their faces into their mouths without using hands. Jisung recorded them and sent their hilarious faces to their friends saying how much fun the couple was having now and how he was going to die from the laughter they caused him. Seongwoo smirked proudly when he won the game, eating his worm just a second faster.

They played another game since Daniel didn't take losing well where they both had to put thin memo notes on their faces and then try to get them off by moving around their faces or shaking. They were able after much more effort than they could have ever suspected to get it down to just a few. Daniel eventually got close and just blew the rest of his off, letting him win the game this time so it was a tie.

The final match was a thigh pressing contest. Seongwoo didn't know he was that weak that he couldn't make Daniel's legs budge or last a second even in blocking him. He fell to the ground in pain, holding his cramp. Daniel laughed evilly, clearly happy to be the winner of their tournament but still patting him in slight concern he had caused him more pain than he had ever intended.

After the games, they were just settling down for a movie on Daniel's tablet when Jisung told them they needed to take a shower. They both complained, feeling lazy, but Jisung said that they smelled and were dirtying up his bed which they were resting on. That was how they both ended up in the shower.

"Uh...so how does this usually work with Jisung...?" Daniel murmured, feeling shy now they were both naked and unsure what to do with himself.

Seongwoo was flushing just as dark as him and trying not to but often looking down at the human's package. Daniel grabbed a washing towel and covered himself with it, feeling conscious.

"It's cold in here..." he muttered with embarrassment.

"So we should get in the shower quickly." Seongwoo turned on the water, touching it with his hand and when he decided it was a decent temperature, he sprayed his chest and legs with it like he was watering the lawn evenly. "Better?"

Daniel chuckled, somehow happy that he hadn't understood what he meant. Then again, Seongwoo probably hadn't seen many naked human bodies and he wasn't the sort to compare and ridicule because of sizes.

"Sit down here. I will wash you."

"Shouldn't it be the other way around?" Daniel sat on the stool as ordered, still strategically covering his genitals.

Seongwoo ran the water over his head. He closed his eyes and hummed in pleasure. The cascading warm water felt great but the shifter's gentle hands as they played with his hair and casually brushed his shoulders were better.

"Not where I'm from. You're my alpha so as your beta I should care for you first before caring for myself. That's natural for us."

“Your culture is really weird."

"So is yours."

They both couldn't argue because they knew how to see the other's culture from a new point of view. Seongwoo put shampoo in his palms, lathered, and started scrubbing the foam into his hair.

"You must be cold..." Daniel sprayed his legs with the hose to help him keep warm.

"I'm not but thanks for thinking of me. How can I be cold when you keep my heart warm?"

"Ah, I love that even more because I know it is your sincerity rather than a cheesy line."

Daniel looked up at him with a sweet grin, but it was a mistake. His eyes became full of suds and water.

"Ah, it burns!" He rubbed his closed eyes frantically.

Seongwoo kept the water running over his face and tried to swipe away the bubbles with his hands. "Oh gosh, sorry! Are you okay? I know how much that stings. I'm really sorry, Niel."

Daniel opened his eyes to see the man was squatting in front of him with a concerned look. Daniel wasn't able to open both for long and they were quite red. Seongwoo whined and hugged his head to his chest, apologizing profusely.

"Seongwoo, just so you know there are probably things you did with Jisung you can't do with me in this state..."

"Hmm, like what?" He asked, clueless and tilting his head.

"Like hugging me close when we're both naked. Have you forgotten that on top of being head over heels in love with you, I am also insanely attracted to you?" Daniel hummed.

That's when Seongwoo realized that Daniel was caressing his back and kissing at his collar bone. He flushed and bit his lip, holding back a moan as his mate lightly nipped along his collar bone, his lips and breath soft and hot, making his skin tingle and his heart race.

"Ah, that's right. I didn't think that this would be hard for us. I just worried about you being hurt."

"It's okay, but it's probably best you go back behind me before I...do something Jisung would scold us for when he thinks we're taking much longer than he deems rational."

Seongwoo smirked, tempted to ask for more details or respond with something along the lines of 'what if I don't want to...' Instead, he kissed Daniel's forehead and squeezed him for a few seconds more in silent apology and concern.

"Poor baby..."

"I'm okay now baby, really. It just stings a tiny bit."

Daniel pet his soft, bare bottom and gently pushed him away, not trusting himself to be close and touching his boyfriend's naked body so innocently for much longer. He had intended to be a perfect gentleman but was finding it difficult after already having a taste of how great it was to be intimate in a naughtier fashion with such a beauty.

Seongwoo moved behind him and started rinsing his hair. After that, Seongwoo scrubbed Daniel's body all over with the towel but Daniel wouldn't let him do beneath his hips. They switched and then it was Seongwoo's turn to sit on the stool. Daniel took much longer because he enjoyed himself making funny shapes with his shampooed hair and they had a water and suds fight.

Seongwoo loved the way that Daniel scrubbed him even better than Jisung. He made everything sweet, gentle, and sensual. He bit his lip hard but couldn't help but letting out a pleasure groan here and there as he had dirty visions. He started wondering what it would be like to mate or relieve themselves in the shower.

"Uh-oh..."

Seongwoo turned to the corner of the shower and hid behind his hands. "Don't look!"

Daniel laughed as he turned on the water and checked the temperature with his hand. "I feel the same. It's hard for mates to be naked and intimate around each other."

“Really? Oh, good, I was worried you would think I was a pervert."

"You're not. I wouldn't mind if you were though. That would just make every day with you even more fun. It's natural to get excited in this situation. But I'm not going to do anything, promise. Maybe after we have gone all the way once. Unless your heat waves are intense? I can relieve you if you just say you need it..." Daniel kissed him softly as he turned around and stroked circles on his hips.

Seongwoo shook his head and flushed more. "It's not too bad that I can't control myself today luckily. I worry Jisung would hear."

"True, you are quite the noisy kitten in heat as I remember,” Daniel teased, stealing another peck as he sprayed his sudsy chest.

Seongwoo sighed in pleasure against his lips, liking the combination of warm water and his gentle, caring touch as he followed the water spray wiping away any excess foam. Then, he lightly smacked the other's broad muscular shoulder.

"No teasing. You aren't quiet either, you horny puppy."

Daniel burst out laughing, then kissed him several times on those kitten like, thin lips with affection.

"How much I love that you are good enough at Korean now to bicker and joke with me. We're going to have the most amazing life in the future, Seongwoo. I can't wait to be with you always and forever every day for the rest of my life."

"Aren't you worried about getting tired of me or vice versa? It seems it is quite common with... What did the TV call it? Relatinchips."

Daniel chuckled and nipped at the freckles on his cheek he loved so much. "Relationships,” he corrected, inwardly dying at the cute mistake that put an amusing picture in his mind.

Seongwoo seemed embarrassed so he didn't tease him.

"I'm not worried. We aren't normal, after all. We are soulmates. That means we won't get tired of each other. How could you think that when I adore you this much?"

Daniel put the nosel away and hugged the shifter as he started drying off his back with a towel.

"Same here. I wish there was a mini version of you I could carry around in my pocket while you're in class."

"Sorry to leave you behind. If I was thinner and more handsome, I could be a model. Do you think your awesome shifter genes will transfer to me as we mate?" He asked hopefully.

Seongwoo shook his head and took the towel now he was dry to dry off the other. Daniel stood with his arms out as Seongwoo went around rubbing him with the towel.

"You don't even need it. You're more handsome than any human I have ever seen, enough to rival shifters. If you really wanted to model, you could."

Daniel shook his head. "I only have confidence on stage with music. I feel awkward in front of a camera."

Daniel bent his head down so he could scrub at his hair.

"How did the auditions go? Any word from Woojin?"

"They went really well. I haven't heard any word yet. Things have been crazy and Woojin has a lot to handle with the work he missed in our rescue search, plus he's taking care of your sister. I think it will be a few more days before he gets ahold of me but he did say good things."

"How did that even happen with him and my sister? I'm confused about the whole thing."

"I was too concerned keeping you safe, so I don't know well either. It seems like it was love at first sight. I thought he was only into guys. Somehow I feel betrayed that I got replaced by a girl."

"Well, maybe he didn't care either way, like me. Plus, my sister is unnaturally pretty and charming. Even for a shifter female."

"Aw, you sound close. Did you make up?"

"She helped me and cared for me while I was being held captive. Plus, father beat her after I left. So, she was able to understand what I have been through better and she likes me again. She wants to try living like a human and I think a big part of that is she wants to be with family which is only me. So, now we're close."

"Glad you can have at least one close family member in your life. I am still going to adopt you. I decided to bring you next time, by the way. I was going to wait but I decided I can't. I am going to introduce you as my boyfriend. I know my mom will like you. She instantly liked you as a cat which is unheard of. You are one hundred times even more adorable in human form, so I'm not worried."

Seongwoo and Daniel were now wearing pajamas and boxers and stepping out of the bathroom. Seongwoo flushed and grinned as Daniel patted the top of his head. Jisung was just skyping with Sungwoon on his laptop.

"Hang on, pooh bear. Did you two brush your teeth?"

Daniel pulled out another bag of jellies from his bag with a mischievous grin. "We're going to veg and watch a movie now. Like you promised we could after cleaning up."

"Okay, but you both need to brush your teeth within thirty minutes after eating. Otherwise half your paycheck is going to go to fixing cavities," he warned in his usual motherly tone.

Daniel and Seongwoo set up their bed with pillows and stuffed animals stolen from Jisung earlier in their fight with him and crawled under the blankets with the laptop. Daniel rested the laptop on his knees and tucked Seongwoo under his arm snugly. Seongwoo wrapped his arms around his waist and laid on his chest with a content, blissful smile as the movie started. The movie was pretty good but they both were surprised by several rated scenes. Seongwoo blushed and covered his face, peaking out of the slits between his fingers. It got Daniel talking about what was both on their minds suddenly that had slipped away from them, when to mate and the full moon that was just around the corner, promising to bring them trouble.

"Are you sure you're okay with becoming human? Because if you want to keep your shifter form, I am okay with us not mating. As long as you need."

Seongwoo sat up with a surprised look. "How do you know about ex shifting?"

"Jinyoung told me..." Daniel admitted sheepishly, scratching at the back of his neck.

"How dare he! He had no right. I was going to tell you after I made my decision."

"He was just worried. I heard all about his story and I understand why too. Don't be angry," Daniel rubbed his arms.

"I am glad he told me because I have a chance to tell you how I feel. I want you to really think I about it. You will be giving something up and I don't want you to regret it later. I will respect your decision. We can be together without ever mating, Seongwoo. I just want to be with you. I don't care if I have to stay half virgin the rest of my life. I just want you to be happy. I like your cat form as well and it could come in handy. Not to mention your cool, brightened senses. It would be hard to give that up if I were you, so I wouldn't ask you to."

"Thanks for understanding and leaving it up to me with no pressure. I have been thinking about it for weeks actually. I promise I will think it through thoroughly and give you an answer before the full moon comes."

Seongwoo was touched by how sweet and selfless his mate was, the biggest reason he was attracted to him. They kissed and hugged.

Seongwoo whispered against his neck, "After being captured, I really started leaning towards giving up my shifter form all together. I realized I don't like the animal instincts. It rules us and stops us from having meaningful mating sessions. They just mated with anyone when they were in heat. There was no love there. But I think I want what humans have. Mating should be full of meaning, there should be love, caring, and gentleness in the intimacy. It should be something pleasant and memorable. After I finally saw what mating as a shifter was like, I was really disgusted by this dark side of that society. I don't want my first time or any time to be like that. If I stay as a cat, that could happen someday and I will always have to fight that instinct. That could cause us some issues later. I could slip up with my control while we are apart during a heat season and hurt you. I could make you feel used. No matter what I think, being able to shift and living longer is just not worth the possibility of that."

"Hmm, I see what you mean. Still, give it some more deep thought. I will be here either way. You are simply mine, my beta."

Daniel kissed and nuzzled his cheek, holding the shifter in this possessive way he never had before but instantly loved. It made Seongwoo flush, feel pleasure, and also feel safe and protected.

"I am glad I found you and fell in love with you that day in the forest, my alpha. It was the best thing to happen in my life. I want to mate with you terribly because I know it will be better than what anyone has said or what I have seen. Because mating when you're in love will make it infinitely more pleasurful."

"Seongwoo....we should take a rest from talking about it. You're making me horny again," Daniel whispered huskily in Seongwoo's ear, glancing over at Jisung who was at his desk, luckily focused hard on doing some homework.

"Oh, sorry..." Seongwoo replied in a bashful fashion.

Daniel sighed and rubbed his arm as he hugged him closer.

"I'm more sorry for having agreed to living in the dorms. I should have paid a bit more for a single room. We have got to get a place as soon as we save up the money."

Seongwoo nodded in agreement, squeezing him tighter. Seongwoo loved Jisung, especially having him take care of them as he did, but he really wouldn't mind privacy with Daniel. They could have more time to talk and play around just the two of them, they could live as they wanted to instead of following the other's strict rules and being nagged when they didn't, and most importantly they could relieve themselves whenever they wanted.

 

 

Seongwoo woke up excited several days later. He crawled out of their bed, leaving Daniel sprawled sideways with his half naked body covered by a part of the blanket to look at his phone. He checked the date and squealed when the calendar told him it was really December tenth. He quietly went to Jisung's bed and shook him.

"Hyung wake up. Help me make breakfast before he wakes up," he whispered.

Jisung sleepily blinked at him in confusion.

"It's the tenth today. Daniel's birthday. Remember our plans?" He reminded him, pressing his arm insistently.

"Ah..." He made a face of recognition and then nodded.

He sat up in the bed and stretched his arms over his head, yawning wide. Seongwoo noticed his messy hair which made him look even more like a bird than normal with his large nose, and reached out to fix it. Jisung smiled and blew him a kiss in appreciation.

"How sweet you are. I don't know how that jerk of a puppy ended up with you but he is really lucky. Let's go make our Samoyed puppy happier than ever, hmm? I bet he doesn't even remember what day it is, he's terrible at keeping track of time. He's going to be quite surprised."

Seongwoo nodded but looked nervous. "I have never cooked before. I hope it doesn't burn."

"It's a simple recipe and I will help you every step, no worries."

Jisung hugged him, pat his back, and then gave him his usual affectionate morning kiss.

Jisung helped Seongwoo make a fried egg with cheese and bacon on top, back hugging him sweetly to keep control of his arms and give the other assurance since he was shaking and scared of the popping oil and the hot stove. They put the egg on toasted bread and smothered it in ketchup just the way Daniel liked it. Then, they put his favorite snacks on the plate as well and got him a beer.

Was it a healthy, Jisung approved breakfast? Most certainly not. But Seongwoo had begged him to let Daniel have one full day of no nagging while doing and eating all he wanted, so Jisung had agreed to the request rather than getting Daniel an actual present. He figured the blonde would actually appreciate it more.

They put the breakfast on a fold-out table. Then, Jisung put out Seongwoo's present he had gotten professionally boxed and wrapped. It was a scarf he had knitted the past week with Jisung's help. It wasn't perfect but it would be warm this winter when it started snowing next week as predicted which was why he had made it. Being sick himself made him realize how shitty it was and the importance of keeping warm. He was hoping Daniel could go through the rest of the winter without getting sick once.

"Wake him up. I will go get the cake and we will start the party."

"Oh, people are coming over?" He asked, looking rejected.

Jisung laughed and punched his head.

"I told them not to. We will celebrate tomorrow night all together. This night is all for you two. They will leave the presents in front of the door. I will leave after we have the cake since I have errands to run and some designs to do. You guys will have the whole place to yourself most of the night after he comes back from work. That's enough time, right? If it's not, just message me later."

Jisung pinched his cheek, smiling at the shifter sweetly. To think that his two babies were finally going to be full grownups after a day. It almost brought a tear to his eye.

"Silly umma. Don't cry over something good when there's so many bad things in the world. Look at it positively, I won't get any more fur on your things this way," Seongwoo reassured, brushing the corner of his eye where some wetness was gathering.

"I know. I just feel sentimental. It's like my sons are graduating? I'm proud but also worried."

"He will take care of me. I know it. It will not be painful or scary this time."

"It better not be. That means he didn't take any of the advice all his hyungs have been giving him,"Jisung threatened with a scary tone.

Jisung sniffled and brought him in for a tight hug. Seongwoo wasn't expecting it to last so long even to the point Daniel started stirring. Jisung noticed and quickly tiptoed out of the room. Seongwoo laid down on the bed and watched his mate wake up with an affectionate smile.

"Good morning, my mate. I love you so much."

Daniel seemed surprised by his sweet kiss. "I love you too, hmm... What's going on? What's that yummy smell?"

Seongwoo helped him sit up and gestured to the table with his hands spread out. "Jjajjan! I made you breakfast. With Jisung's help, so I promise it's not poisoned."

Seongwoo smiled proudly, excitedly waiting for his reaction. Daniel's eyes popped open, then he beamed and ruffled his hair. "You're so sweet. I'm touched. Thanks a lot. I don't know what came over you all of a sudden and why Jising would ever let you near there with how protective he was when you nicked your finger on a fork, but I will eat it all up heartily."

Daniel pinched his chin, rubbed their nose tips together, and pulled him in for a few kisses that were the best reward Seongwoo could imagine and not a bad breakfast in itself. Then, Daniel sat down to eat.

Seongwoo played some music from his phone as he sat across from the other on the floor with his legs up to his chest while Daniel took huge bites and nodded in approval at the taste. They both smiled at each other, humming along. Seongwoo had made a playlist of songs he knew Daniel liked because they were the most played in his music apps--he had become an excellent snooper in order to prepare for this day. He was even wearing Daniel's favorite outfit, the pink shirt he had worn on the day of their first date, getting Jisung's permission.

"How is it?" He asked with curiosity. 

Daniel beamed, crumbs from the toast all over his plush lips, and gave him a thumbs up. Seongwoo chuckled and caringly wiped his mouth with a tissue.

"Jisung was right. You really don't know what day it is."

"Crap, I forgot our anniversary? Has it been six months already, no way..." Daniel started counting something on his fingers as he chewed noisily.

Seongwoo showed the calendar mark on his phone with a background picture of Daniel dressed in puppy ears with digitally painted blush and hearts on his cheeks.

"Today is your birthday, silly."

"Ah...ah! My birthday! That's right!" Daniel exclaimed, clapping with only his palms like a seal in excitement since his fingers were dirty from the food.

"Happy birthday!"

Daniel jumped nearly to the ceiling when Seongwoo took out a popper and pulled the string. There was a bang and confetti and string shot out from the paper cone.

"Holy shit! I got shot. I'm dead now, right?"

Daniel was standing on the bed, patting his body and looking frantic and pale even more so than he had been after the haunted house. Seongwoo looked between the party popper and Daniel with confusion. Jisung had said Daniel would love this. Then, he realized that Jisung had pranked them both. He knew that scaredy cat Daniel would react this way and he was secretly laughing wherever he was now. Seongwoo collapsed on the floor, holding his stomach and smacking the table as he was racked with fits of giggles.

"Don't laugh, hey, it’s my birthday," Daniel scolded, then started laughing as well.

"Scaredy cat!" Seongwoo pointed.

Daniel sat on the bed with his arms crossed and a sulky look. Seongwoo knew he was just playing around but he felt bad for laughing at him this hard on such a special day.

"A cat shouldn't call me that of all people. That's not fair."

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you or laugh. Jisung pranked you. I was just doing as he said, honestly. He said you liked them."

"Tch. That jerk. Should have known. Those things give me a heart attack and he was very amused to find it out."

Seongwoo closed his eyes and focused his aura to move to his eyes, ears, and bottom. In a few seconds, he had sprouted ears, a tail, and green eyes. He crawled over to Daniel who was glaring at the leftover sandwich. Seongwoo grabbed the beer at the last minute and held it under his nose, presenting it in the cutest fashion he could imagine, turning up the power of his kitten eyes.

"Are you angry, Niel? Don't be pwease. Have a nummy beer. Save in my heart. I wove you vewy much."

He did some aegyo and winks he had learned from Jihoon. Jihoon had said that if your mate was upset or angry that it worked really well to change their mood. He didn't really think he was as cute as Jihoon just from the way he was tall, gangly, and the more handsome, chiseled masculine look of his face compared to his cute friends with their big sparkly eyes and chubby cheeks. But he thought it was at least worth a shot.

Daniel blushed and covered a shy looking smile behind his hand. "Ah, what's this sudden aegyo attack? So cute~ You're going to kill me before we even get to mating, Seongwoo, stop."

He didn't. He merely cocked his head and pouted.

"Daniel don't be ddokddanghae(upset)."

Daniel turned redder, laughing hard as he took the can. "Okay, I won't be, please stop, my heart can't take it seriously. I have my first day of work, I'm going to have to dance a lot you know."

A couple days before, Woojin had told Daniel the choreography, back up dancing job was his if he wanted it. Daniel had finished up his classes and waited until another person could take over, training him for a bit and introducing him to the kids and their parents properly before leaving his job. Technically, Seongwoo heard, he could have just left as most other people did but his mate had a kind soul so he stuck around to make the switch as easy as possible for all involved.

"Ah, can't have that."

"I always thought of you as an angel but after really getting to know you, I see you have this huge, mischievous, devilish side of you. Come here, baby." Daniel pulled him up, crooking a finger with a naughty, crooked smirk.

Seongwoo jumped up excitedly. Daniel hugged him around the shoulders and traced along his jaw, then played with his moles, then brushed his nose and lips. He nuzzled their noses together. Seongwoo thought he would kiss him and was disappointed when he didn't. Eventually, he stuck out his lips begging for one with his literal kitty eyes and fuzzy ears twitching, poking at Daniel persistently with his tail.

"I'm going to miss you, especially if you're planning to stay like this all day, pretty boy. I should have agreed to start tomorrow or later and taken a few days totally off for us to just have some dates and time alone. Hmm? I'm sorry that your mate is stupid."

Seongwoo shook his head and smiled at him, sweetly clinging to his muscular arm. "You're always thinking of others first, that's why it didn't occur to you. You're responsible and selfless like that. It's one of your most lovable qualities."

"Ah, well, it doesn't sound bad when you put it that way. I like how you are bright and always putting a positive spin on things. You're the light of my life, Seongwoo. Really, I was a lot gloomier, negative, pessimistic, and closed off before I met you. A lot of things have been changed in my life since I met you. You have not only opened up my eyes to the world, you have also brought out the old me I lost along the way growing up and helped me realize and achieve my dreams. You're my good luck charm, the greatest gift fate has ever given me. I don't know how many countries I saved in a past life to deserve you, but I promise I will cherish and protect you better than any human has done for any shifter in history. Just wait for our future, you're going to be so happy every day you don't know what to do with yourself."

Seongwoo knew it wasn't realistic at all to say that they would be happy forever but he didn't want to ruin the moment. He merely pressed his lips out, wiggled his cat ears, and stroked his tail along Daniel's wrist.

"Ah, how I am going to miss these later on..." Daniel hummed as he kissed him and played with his ears, searching those memorizing mix of emerald, lime, and gold flecked eyes and wondering if there were any other beautiful color like that existing in the world and what would be the name for it.

Seongwoo smiled secretively, remaining silent. He was thinking of how he decided that today after his work he was going to have their first time. In just a few more days, there was supposed to be a full moon but he was worried the event would happen earlier than expected. To be honest, he had had some fierce fits this week but luckily Daniel and Jisung had been gone or there had been his model shifter friends to cover and explain his delay in shooting. It was today or never. He had permission from Jisung to be alone most of the night to do it.

Daniel finished the rest of his sandwich and started getting ready for work.

"Wait, I have presents for you. Here." Seongwoo nudged the box on the table.

Daniel beamed.

"Oh, I wasn't expecting that either. You didn't have to."

"I didn't spend much money this time. I knew you wouldn't like that."

They had discussed about saving their money to use for dates and trips.

Daniel ruffled his hair and flashed a killer smile. "That's my pretty boy."

Seongwoo lightly hissed and flushed pink from the affectionate gesture. He still hated that nickname but Daniel refused to stop using it. "I'm not a cat."

"You will always be my cat though. And you still have your ears out."

They had had this same conversation many times as well. Seongwoo put everything away except for his eyes because he needed those for his final present. Daniel looked at the box, commenting the wrap was so nice it was a shame to rip it open. He did anyway, curious about what was inside.

"Wow a scarf! Perfect for the winter. This looks expensive though?"

Seongwoo lightly smacked his arm as he laughed.

"Don't joke, it probably looks really cheap. Because it's something I made. I just hope it lasts a few weeks before it falls apart. But no promises. Jisung told me it's the thought that counts and I read from a magazine that boyfriends often prefer handmade gifts. Is it okay?"

He took out the sky-blue scarf and fingered it with a loving look. "I really like it. I'm going to wear it all winter and cherish it forever. I can't believe you made this. You must be really used to your human body."

"It was pretty hard. When I concentrated too much sometimes, my nails turned by accident and I nearly cut the strings."

Daniel wrapped it around his neck a few times. It was snuggly, soft, and warm just like the shifter's heart. He could feel in every thread how much Seongwoo cared and loved him.

"It's going to snow soon. Dress warm so you don't catch a cold like me."

"Hmm." Daniel nodded, a wide, silly grin stuck on his face.

"I have another present. It didn't cost anything. It just took some of my free time."

"Ah, so that's why you haven't gotten as far in your books as usual."

"Hmm hmm." He made a sound of confirmation as he switched on the song he had been practicing just when he got kidnapped.

 

You’re leaving me here  
You’re leaving me so easily  
You promised we’d go together  
But you’re leaving, leaving.

 

He cleared the table and danced the song the best he could, singing along and trying to make fierce expressions like he did in modeling. It was a bit embarassing actually doing it now in front of his mate. Daniel was enthusiastic which made him go through the whole routine, the first half being serious and the second half being funny. The first half Daniel clapped with his mouth rounded in shock. The second half Daniel was red and laughing hard, smacking the bed.

"Oh, my Seongwoo is quite the dancer it turns out~ Good job baby!"

Daniel jumped up, giving him a standing ovation when he did the final pose, kneeling on the floor with his gun hand pointing up at the ceiling in dramatic fashion. Seongwoo smiled and wiped his sweaty brow, unable to say much since he was out of breath.

"That was really great. I love all my presents. You have already made this the best birthday ever and I have only been awake twenty minutes!"

Daniel helped him up and pulled him into a crushing hug. Then, he picked him up and spun him around the room, both of them laughing and squealing with childish delight. Daniel was about to leave several minutes of kissing and loving words later when he opened the door to a present pile.

"Oh, what's this? Secret admirers or fans?"

It turned out many of them were from fans with confession notes he just ignored, assuring Seongwoo that it didn't mean anything to him and he didn't even recall who those girls were. The rest were gifts from their human and shifter  buddies that didn't want to disturb the happy couple’s day.

"Oh, they actually left them. I thought they would wait for our party tomorrow."

Jisung had arrived with the cake hidden behind his back. Daniel of course sniffed it out. Jisung spun in circles, trying to hide the cake from him. Daniel stole it and sniffed the box.

"Chocolate cheesecake, yes my favorite!"

"Of course I got it. It's your birthday. The one time I will not say a word about all the calories you're consuming. So, live it up while you can, piggy. Look what's on it."

Daniel gasped and his eyes filled up with tears as if he was extremely touched. "Jellies..."

Jisung shook his head and pursed his lips, amusement and love flashing in his eyes.

"Aigoo, you like them that much? I'm almost sorry I keep forbidding you from eating them. Seongwoo must be upset."

"You didn't tear up at my present," Seongwoo pouted.

Daniel hugged him and kissed all over his cheek until he giggled despite stubbornly fighting it. "I laughed and smiled a lot. I was too happy and touched to cry."

"Whatever," he humphed, turning up his nose.

Daniel rubbed his shoulder and kept cooing, telling him how funny, talented, sweet, cute, and handsome he was until he wasn't upset at all anymore.

"You're going to tear up even more, just wait. The guys all proudly took a picture of their cards and sent them to me."

"I think I have just enough time to peak at the cards and open a few. I can give ten minutes away if I run to the agency."

Daniel was extremely touched and did tear up quite a bit more as he read his friends' sincere notes. He hadn't realised so many things like how well they knew him, how much they cared for him and cheered him on, or how much they had been worried about him before Seongwoo came along.

 

To our big alpha puppy, Niel hyung~ I love you and let's be friends for a long time. <3 Happy Birthday! <3 *kiss kiss* My love Niel Hyung. -Jihoon.

To Kang Daniel Hyung. Happy birthday, Niel Hyung. I made a cake for hyung with the character that hyung likes. Happy birthday! Let's make many memories and good times in the future! -Jinyoung

To Mr. Kang Daniel. Happy Birthday to Mr. Daniel~ Hyung wants to see your charming bunny teeth for a long time. I hope that today is filled with only things that make you laugh. Don't be sick and be healthy always! Saranghandaniel <3 -Minhyun

Oh My Gosh! God Daniel, happy birthday! It's a greatday! Or so I hope it is. I wrote a song that I will play for you tomorrow instead of a physical present. -Daehwi

Daniel, I love you! <3 Happy Birthday! <3 Don't get sick! <3 Thank you so much for being by my side! <3 -Sungwoon

Happy Birthday! I love you so much, our popular Kang. Please take care of me in the future remaining time <3 -96 line Hwanie

To God Daniel hyung hehehe. First of all, happy birthday~ Thank you for saving me the other day. I really like hyung's charms too and I always want you to be next to me. I'm not certain about the future but I want to follow your footsteps as an alpha <3 I hope you can spend this important day feeling happy too! I know that you're really busy these days~ Whenever you feel tired, just talk to me. I'll listen to all of your complaints, especially about dating a popular shifter or being different in the entertainment industry <3 I love you, our cool alpha hyung <3 Love you, sorry for being a brat in the past. -Guanlin <3

Happy Birthday Niel hyung! I really respect you and want to be just like you. Never change and I hope that we can become the best of friends again soon. -from your biggest fanboy and Busan twin, Sangnamja Woojin.

Our Niel, who is always bright and constantly like a kid. When I first saw you, you looked just like a child. In time, you've become a cool, mature person and a great dancer. You will forever be the world's greatest dancer. Thank you for being born. Thank you for giving me strength when I have hard times because of my major or Sungwoon. We don't talk that much these days, but your existence brings so much peace to me. Be a cool person like now. You're really a cool and good person. Today, be the happiest person in the world! -Jisung

 

Daniel sniffled and dabbed at his eyes,  reading the notes slowly and looking over their small presents. Seongwoo and Jisung hung on his sides, patting his arms and reading over his broad shoulders with their heads resting on top.

"You have good friends."

"We really love you a lot but you know guys are pretty bad at just showing it. At least you know now."

Jisung kissed Daniel on his cheek. Seongwoo allowed it this once, though he considered his mate's pillowy, peachy cheeks solely his territory.

After Daniel left, him and Jisung cleaned up the house and started preparing decorations and food for the party tomorrow. They were going to spend the whole night eating barbequed beef and then drink and sing at a norebang until the sun came up since the next day was a weekend.

 

 

When Daniel came back, Jisung was gone with all their party supplies to work on them more as well as his surprise present. Only Seongwoo greeted him with a huge hug, dolled up with full make-up, styled comma hair, and a choker necklace for some reason.

"Aw, my unbelievably handsome baby. I missed you~ Did you?"

"So much!"

Daniel grabbed his thighs as he jumped up, excitedly wrapping his legs around the blonde's. Daniel realized with worry that he was still quite light from when the clan had starved him from several days to keep him weak. His poor baby was as thin as a leaf even before then, now he was practically paper.

"Did you eat?"

"I did."

"What?"

"Ramen, an egg fry sandwich, salad, chips..." Seongwoo listed off a few more things.

He had been pretty bored since he had only one schedule today so he had heen watching movies, reading novels, and snacking after he got back.

"Good boy~" Daniel rubbed his head and pecked him a few sweet times.

Seongwoo flushed and giggled, feeling loved and happy to receive praise. "How was your first day?"

"Amazing. I met some famous singers. I'm going to be back up dancing for some and others I will be choreographing their comeback songs. Some artists you even like, later after I get close I will get their signature. Of course I'm going to show you off and advertise you around the company. Since I'm dating rookie top model Ong Seongwoo. Did you know some of your fans are there? I saw your photo on their phones."

Seongwoo beamed, feeling flattered to be recognized.

"What did you say?"

"I really wanted to show off but these girls seem convinced you're straight, so I didn't want to crush their dreams. Anyway, when you get more famous it will all be spilled out. There are rumors about us on the school cafe already that we are more than friends."

Seongwoo was enjoying being held in his strong arms and petting his wet hair. 

"I don't want to hide anymore. If I get asked about us or my private life, I am going to tell everyone with pride. I think you are amazing and I am the luckiest person in the world to be dating you."

Daniel beamed and stroked his back in a familiar, comforting, loving way. "Me too. I told myself I would never ever hide you. You're perfect, so I want to shout that you're mine at the top of the tallest tower so the whole world could know."

"Okay, well, that's sweet but too much. Please don't embarrass me...or I may just have to move on to my second place," Seongwoo nuzzled his nose as he smirked and teased.

"Who's that? I'm going to accidentally push him down the stairs," Daniel gasped and glared.

"Someone who's nicknamed 'emperor' and very handsome and has a bit of an OCD issue..."

"Minhyun? I knew it. You had a thing for him even as a cat. Now I'm jelly again."

"You want jellies? We still have a couple bags you didn't smuggle into your tummy." Seongwoo smiled and flashed a flirty wink.

"Yah~" Daniel whined, playfully smacking him for ignoring him. "How dare you learn Jihoon's wink and use it against your master?"

Seongwoo just laughed, hugged him around the neck tighter, and kissed him firmly. Daniel was going to pull away but Seongwoo followed him. He nipped along his lip and gave him several firmer, more sensual, long-lasting kisses, pressing their chests closer together and letting out a purr of pleasure. Daniel hummed excitedly, his hands once stiff switched to gripping his lower back in a caressing manner.

____________________ (Rated M from here to the pawprints mark, but really not that detailed so if you're a bit brave go on because it's meaningful and sweet at many parts rather than just pure raunchy hot smut)

Seongwoo pulled him to their bed and laid down. Daniel was mesmerized by how forward and hot he was being now so he had no choice but to follow. Seongwoo switched their direction and licked at his full strawberry lips, playing with his hair in the most tantalizing way, his legs wrapping around Daniel's hips and trapping him on top. Daniel obediently opened his mouth, meeting his curious, sweet tongue and slipped between his legs, laying down fully. They hummed and moaned softly as they greedily swiped tongues and sucked noisily at their lips. Their pulses were racing, their skin grew flushed, hot and tingly as lust and pleasure flew through their veins.

Seongwoo took one hand off to pull up his shirt, then grabbed Daniel's wrist, leading him to touch his skin. Daniel eagerly felt his stomach, side, and chest gently before playing with a nipple. Seongwoo broke away to moan erotically, writhing under his fingers, his body on fire as the heat symptoms started coming in medium strength waves. Daniel groaned his name lovingly as he dipped to suck at his exposed neck. They rocked their hips against each other, shifting as their hard elections gravitated towards each other, the primal instinct needing some relief from the tingling pain. Seongwoo squeezed his hips and mewled, pressing up against him more enthusiastically as he felt pleasurable aches surging through him.

"Are you okay?" Daniel sat up and pet his hair, giving him a worried look.

Seongwoo opened his eyes and licked his lips. He nodded, forcing Daniel's hands back on his skin eagerly.

"Jisung won't be coming back until later. I decided I am ready. I made my decision. I want to be human someday. I want to be yours. Let's mate before the full moon comes. The symptoms are getting worse which scares me now. It has to be tonight."

"Well, I couldn't refuse you even if I wanted to at this point. I've waited so long. This is the best present ever. You just made me the horniest I've been in my life. I will take care of you so it's not painful, okay? Just relax and trust me. I love you."

"I love you more. I do trust you with my body, my heart, my life, my everything. I only hope I am good for you, though I don't have any idea what I'm doing."

Daniel pecked him and brushed his cheek. "You could never disappoint me, Seongwoo. You're perfect."

Seongwoo retorted with a shy, pleased grin, "No, that's definitely you."

Daniel chuckled and bit his nose while tugging at the strings of their matching adidas trainers.

"As much as I love bickering around childishly with you, we are wasting precious time."

Seongwoo smiled wide and giggled, flushing deeper as he shyly pulled at the other's pants so they fell down his hips. "We have all night, dum dum."

"That won't be enough. I may need a few times to get my fill of you," he murmured in a seductive husky tone, removing his shirt and pants in one smooth move.

Seongwoo helped him remove his own clothes, then gazed over his tan, sleek, muscular body, biting at his lip. Daniel pinched his chin, removing it from the toothy trap.

"Don't look at me while making that sexy expression too often, baby. I may not be able to be gentle with you for long at this rate."

"Why? Does it make you horny? How about this?" Seongwoo smiled mischeviously.

Then, he transformed his eyes, licked his lips, and ran his fingers along the other's hard stomach. Daniel groaned, wincing in pain as his penis surged.

"Seongwoo, what on earth ....where did you learn these things.... You're going to kill me tonight for sure..." He whimpered, laying on the boy and burying his face in his neck.

Seongwoo smiled smugly as he hugged him and squeezed his four limbs around his neck and hips, loving the feel of their warm, soft flesh touching making him tingle all over and his heart race yet making him somehow feel complete already. They were going to do this finally. He could feel only excitement. He was ready for it this time. No matter how much pain, he would seek out the pleasure and pull through any fear of the unknown he may get.

"I studied all of your videos and read some magazines. I have some idea how to make you feel good, especially how to make you horny. Though it's all experimental and theoretical."

"When you use big words, you sound like such a nerd and I find it even sexier, god damn..." Daniel groaned as he stroked his bare skin and sucked along his collar, leaving slight marks where there weren't permanent scars. 

Seongwoo spilled out all the biggest, most scientific words he could think of, rewarded with more caresses and fiercer sucks and nibbles.

"Ah, Daniel...hmm, more please..."

Daniel continued to kiss all over his body for several minutes, leaving love marks and hot, wet trails from his chest to his thighs before sucking on his member. Seongwoo sweetly brushed his hair and moaned his pleasure, his face flushed red in embarrassment as Daniel took him in and out of his mouth slowly with slight slurping noises that excited them further.

"Ah, hmm, close..."

Daniel caressed his hips and sucked harder. Seongwoo lifted his hips as his incredible orgasm came, his head thrown back on the pillow, his fingers dug into the other's broad shoulders, his eyes closed and mouth open in ecstasy, emitting erotic noises. Daniel eagerly swallowed, continuing to suck lightly and pump and brush his stomach until his sweet seed was extracted.

"How can you smile like that when it's so gross?" Seongwoo brushed his hair, looking at him apologetically through sleepy, hooded eyes.

Daniel pecked the tip and came up, brushing his hip gently. "I happen to like the taste. Well just the taste of you. Sorry mine doesn't taste good. I've been looking up foods that make it taste better. If you're ever curious again."

Seongwoo shook his head. "Not today. I can't wait anymore. The heat symptoms are becoming stronger. I think I'm about to lose myself. Hurry and take me..."

Daniel kissed all his freckles then along his jaw to his ear which he nibbled and sucked on. "Drives me crazy when you talk like that..."

"That makes both of us. Now you have some idea what I'm feeling," he whimpered and panted.

He was now feeling feverish and achy all over, specially his bum. He wanted, no he needed Daniel inside of him now. His body was screaming for it. His mind was fuzzy and he was losing the ability to think rationally or form words as his primal instincts to took over.

"You feel so hot now. You okay?" Daniel asked with concern, kissing his forehead and stroking his chest.

"Please...take me...make me yours... Can't... Take it much.... Longer...oh god..." He groaned, digging his nails into Daniel's skin and moving his entrance until the other's penis was poking his tip on him.

"Hmm, good god, that feels good. Hold on just a sec, I will take you soon but it's got to be the right way. You need to remember it. Not like this."

Daniel pulled away from him and came back with liquid smothered on his shaft. Seongwoo whined for him and reached his arms out, his face all red and his eyes a greenish gray haze.

"I know baby. I will give you what you want but I need you to stay with me. Got it, Ong Seongwoo, stay present. Stay present and I will give you what you want."

Seongwoo nodded, his eyes seeming to clear up, and gave him a slight smile. "I will. Thanks for taking care of me."

"Always," Daniel murmured as he kissed his forehead and climbed on the bed again.

Seongwoo eagerly met his lips and squeezed his body with intensity. Daniel controlled him with pure willpower, forcing Seongwoo to take their first time slowly even though he kept pressing to hurry and do more. Daniel was careful not to hurt him, studying his expression detail by detail. He was able to catch when Seongwoo was feeling discomfort and he was able to sense when he was drifting off. At these times, he would adjust or stop, kissing him and stroking his face.

"I love you. Seongwoo. Stay with me, baby. I won't let you blank about a second of this," he would murmur, patiently waiting for the heat symptoms to release the virgin shifter from their snare and for his hypnotically foggy eyes to come into slight focus again.

Seongwoo would simply thank him and repeat that he loved him but he was too lost in moans, mewls, and gasps of pleasure to say much more. Daniel was luckily able to read his nonverbal cues by keeping focus. Until he wasn't able to control his own urges and released inside. Seongwoo seemed happier about the event than him. He cradled his head and brushed his hair, raining kisses and loving, breathy whispers against his cheeks.

"I love you, Niel. You are the best. I have never been happier."

"Me neither. I'm glad we waited to lose our virginity to each other here and now. It was no less than perfect."

 

 

They laid in each other's arms, looking up at the stars in the ceiling and chatting. The stars Daniel had bought a few weeks before when he said that what he missed about his hometown was simply seeing the stars every night. One of his hobbies had been stargazing. It relaxed him and gave him peace of mind as well as he felt like he could think a lot better while looking at them.

"Do you feel any different?" Daniel asked softly, rubbing his arm.

"Hmm, I can see my aura got just a bit dimmer but I feel like I will have no issues transforming. I heard it takes many times."

"Ah, really? Let's not do that so often then. Just when you really want to, let me know, okay? Then maybe we can let the transformation happen over a couple years."

Seongwoo scrunched up his face. "No. I draw the line at two years maximum. I am so sick of these heat waves."

Daniel whined with sympathy and squeezed him tighter. "I wish I could take some of the pain away for you "

"You're a baby, you couldn't handle it. You asked Minhyun to surgically remove your finger once because of a splinter."

"Oh god, you saw that, huh? That was back when you were a cat. Ugh, how humiliating. Why must you have seen everything you were never supposed to see of me?" He whined, burying his head in his lover's neck.

"I'm glad I did. If I didn't see all that, I wouldn't have been able to handle waiting for you to accept me, you know. It was hard at that time but I kept thinking of adorable moments like that and reminding myself you were worth waiting my whole life time if I could mate just once with you. You were always the one."

Seongwoo cradled his head and kissed his still slightly sweaty temple.

"Thank god I didn't make you wait a life time and it certainly won't be just once, will it?" Daniel chuckled, laying back on the pillow. 

Seongwoo recognized that naughty grin now, suggesting Daniel was thinking of mating again. He blushed and wrapped his legs around the other's, pulling them just a bit closer. He really wanted to as well but his body still felt like it needed some more time to recover. 

Their conversation eventually drifted to their dreams of the future.

"I am going to quit school and take this job full time. I really suck at studying and I have grown to seriously detest computers. Rather than waste my parents’ money, I will give them money to help them out so they can retire early. And I’m going to do that doing what I love for as long as I can. I can be a choreographer I guess until I am at least fifty as long as my body stays in good condition. Before giving any money to my parents, I am going to save up, add to yours, and get us a house within a year. What do you think?"

"Sounds great. I will help you anyway I can. I can take up more jobs. I don't think you need to manage me anymore."

"Ah, I like watching you work. Too bad. I probably won't have much time but if your shoot goes through the night I will come watch and pick you up. We should still eat dinner together everyday and sometimes I can take you to the company on my way."

"Sounds perfect. I will take on more jobs, then hopefully we can move out in just a few months. There's some that pay a lot more."

"If they are sketchy, then I refuse."

"Hmm, they're just a little bit weird. Like I should model cosplay and act cute."

"Ah well, that doesn't sound too bad."

"Actually, I want to try it because it involves acting. There's a commercial part of it where I have to read some lines. I haven't told you yet but I think I really like acting. I want to pursue it. Maybe I can go to some acting academy. I heard it's not that much a semester."

"Any other dreams you have? I will support you in any way," Daniel said softly, linking their fingers together as Seongwoo laid on his chest again.

"I want to work as a full-time model, which you know. Hmm, I want to try my hand at acting and get some jobs with the agency involving that. And hmm, the only other is that I want to be human and live with you forever."

"Aw, I'm happy to be in your dreams."

Daniel pulled his head up and pecked him with a light smacking sound. Seongwoo kissed him back with a large grin.

"You've always been in my dreams. I just didn't know it, I think. I think there was fate pulling me toward the human world and fate pushing you to come closer to where I was. Fate brought us together and that's our number one dream."

"Yeah, you're right. That was really romantic what you said. I wish I could say something cool like you."

"Oh, it's nothing special. You have said lots of cool things too."

"Why can't I remember any? Or you're just lying to make me feel better."

They both laughed and snuggled closer, closing their eyes to sleep for a bit. Jisung would be home in a few hours so they could afford it as long as the alarm he had set went off. Seongwoo had prepared even that far ahead. That was how much he had wanted this day to happen and luckily it had all gone perfectly according to plan. He was Daniel's, Daniel was his, they were officially mates in every way. Their relationship felt complete, as did his soul.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is almost goodbye~ We've finally reached the final, official end to this chapter. I am sorry to those that may have wanted this story to continue on with lots of comedy or fluff beyond the angst chapters or if you wanted all other members to appear at the end, but I decided that I wanted to keep it open and just with the main couple mainly with hints of Jisung umma's love for both of them since this story is mainly about the three of them. I was hoping to keep it sweet, short, simple, and yet meaningful. I hope that you liked this chapter and the little bit of romantic, sensual smut. I promised that I wouldn't make their s** life too detailed or raunchy. If you're looking for that sort of thing, please check out my story Yes, Sir ^^ 
> 
> Most important is that you can see how much this couple has matured and grown closer. Their relationship is really quite different and their personalities much fuller than in the beginning. Seongwoo knows more about himself and the world and Daniel is not scared to follow his dreams and be completely himself. That was what I wanted to accomplish through this story rather than some complex plot. It's more about real life and personal growth. I hope that just like these two you grow, mature, and are not scared to be yourself and follow your dreams even if others may disapprove or try to discourage you. I guess there was a moral lesson hidden in here that's related to my personal thoughts.
> 
> Thank you all for joining me on this long journey. It's weird to think that this story started one day last fall when I woke up from the weirdest supernatural Ongniel dream that literally came out of nowhere that was the first couple of chapters. I didn't know where I was going with this story but since it was an idea I had never had before in my life, I was enraptured with the feeling that I just had to write it out. Overall, I am glad I thought more deeply about their issues, backstories, and what to do with the other members as I went along. It had more meaning and interesting moments than I had intended the first month I started writing. It was originally supposed to be pure romantic fluff but it ended up deeper with friendship, comedy, action, smutty, and angsty moments as well. All in all, I am proud of this story almost more than any I have ever written. Hopefully, you enjoyed it too. Over the next year, I will edit it and get it put up on some other fanfiction sites if possible. Please tell me your final thoughts and pass on the word of this story to your Wannable/Ongniel friends. I hope it's not buried and lost forever after I hit complete lol.
> 
> By the way, there will be an epilogue up which will include a time skip over about a year and all the other members. So, please tune in then and don't unsubscribe just yet. See you when I see you. Thanks for all your support, love you always <3
> 
> <333 Raina


	35. Everything We Ever Dreamed(Epilogue 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a happy ending for all characters. I won't spoil what happens. Please enjoy!

Author's note: This is not the final chapter. There will be two more alt short stories related to a shifter Danel and bits of the characters in this story. Please don't unsub at the end of reading this :) 

 

 

"Seongwoo, let's run away. It's our last chance," Guanlin in a tuxedo whispered to Seongwoo as he wrapped his arm casually around the other.

Seongwoo smiled and flushed at the sudden intimate touch. This nearly human body of his was really too sensitive.

"Lin...shall we? You got those 'cold feet' that I read every groom gets before 'tying the knot'?" Seongwoo half teased, half asked with concern.

Guanlin smirked coolly, his dark eyes flashing with mischief as per usual. "Yeah, I'm getting cold feet. Let's runaway together. You never had a night with me. I think I might regret losing the opportunity. Your human cannot dream of doing the things I can do..." 

Seongwoo flushed again and giggled at the seductive tone. He wasn't sure how much the chick shifter was being honest, but a part of him was flattered to have such an attractive, cool, experienced person interested in him remotely. Guanlin winced and cried out as Daniel came over and twisted his hand behind his back.

"There's not ever going to be an opportunity, you chicken nugget. He's mine and you've got yours. He's cute enough, as I recall, and he puts up with your insatiable appetite and rude behavior better than you could ever hope for. Seongwoo wouldn't at all, on the other hand." 

Seongwoo nodded in agreement, looking at Guanlin with slight pity. Daniel wasn't easing up on him a bit. He was clearly jealous and unhappy at Guanlin's habit resurfacing. This was a usual occurance with the two, so no one really paid them any mind otherwise. Daniel could hurt him if he wanted and Guanlin could easily fight back. They both wouldn't and didn't because they were close friends now.

"You're right. I wouldn't put up with that kind of crap."

Daniel released Guanlin to capture Seongwoo's chin, giving him narrowed, disapproving eyes.

"Hey, hey, watch the language, baby..." He muttered a soft warning before leaning in to kiss him once.

Seongwoo followed as he pulled a way, selfishly making the kiss last a few seconds longer. He liked staying in contact with his mate. His touch was as addicting and tingling as ever. Seongwoo giggled and winked as he pulled away. Daniel smirked as he read the naughty half-cat-shifter's mind. 'You don't mind when I say bad words in bed.'

He thought back, 'That's true, I love it then, but in public we should speak nice things.'

"Got it, Niel."

"Good, my pretty boy," Daniel murmured with affection, rubbing his hair like he often did back when he was in cat form.

"Hyung, I love you~"

Suddenly Guanlin was hugging Daniel tight around the shoulders. Daniel patted his back and grunted, annoyed that the much younger man was taller than him and forever growing as time passed. Over the past year, Guanlin had grown to a towering 185 centimeters, making Jihoon look even more like a pipsqueak and overpassing Daniel as the tallest in the group. The would-be alpha didn't like the jab at his pride one bit.

"What's wrong with you? We didn't start drinking yet, unless you snuck a bottle. You have to do your vows and kiss your pretty bride first before you're allowed to crack the bottles, Lin."

"I'm not drunk, hyung. Well, maybe drunk on happiness and love? I'm happy that you guys could come. I thought you wouldn't make it."

Originally, both of their schedules were too tight so Daniel had insisted there was no way that he and Seongwoo could travel with the others to Hawaii for a week to see them be married and relax all together. Seongwoo had won him over by constantly whining, begging and acting cute for several weeks until he gave in and bought the tickets. Daniel looked at his lover for help but Seongwoo merely watched on with a proud smile. Daniel rolled his eyes when Seongwoo mouthed 'told you he would be thrilled to have you here, he does like you a lot.' The feeling wasn't always mutual though, as Guanlin still encroached on his territory and got a kick out of challenging him.

"Alright, you egg fry. I love you too. I wouldn't have missed your big day for the world," Daniel grudgingly said and hugged the younger man back. 

Guanlin chuckled and squeezed him tighter, not ever really minding Daniel's chicken and egg related insults. Daniel flushed and smacked him.

"Yah, easy on the tux and the do. It took me almost as long as you to get ready. It wasn't cheap to look this good either." Daniel's continuous complaints and reluctance to continue what he considered was the exact opposite of a display of manliness led Guanlin to release him.

"Hmm, now who should I run away with in a few minutes? You're both too handsome to choose. Shall we just have a three-way relationship? There's something you need to learn abou the world, hyung. Sharing is caring~" Guanlin winked, mischevious eyes going to Seongwoo. 

Daniel looked gastly appalled for once in a long time. Seongwoo just burst out laughing. Guanlin was hilarious, especially when he bantered with his own mate. Daniel's reaction was priceless.

"Joking, joking, baby, Lin is joking," Seongwoo eventually reassured, holding his shell-shocked boyfriend and patting his soft face.

"Wah, even on your wedding day you don't change," Jinyoung chided, ticking his tongue. "Still thirsty and desperate as a man lost in a desert."

"No, but you certainly did. Can't believe you're going to do this. I warned you, you may regret it. Last chance to back out of all this." Guanlin winked at his old friend and gestured to the decorations.

Jinyoung smiled brightly and put a finger over his lips, patting his pocket. Inside must be the box with the engagement rings he had prepared.

After asking the main couple's permission, Jinyoung was planning to propose to his long term mate.  The general opinion was it was a long time coming, but Guanlin had been teasing him for the past month about how he wasn't the sort that could handle marriage, much too gloomy and savage. 

Daehwi came over with his arm linked with Jihoon's, who was looking more stunning than any other as intended by all of them. That could have easily gone to Seongwoo, but Daniel had ensured that the stylist toned down his look, although the blushing girl had been blabbing on and on about her desire to make a masterpiece. Girls really irritated him when they came around Seongwoo, practically doing cartwheels that flipped up their skirts in order to get his attention. It never occured to come across their mind the thought that he might be gay.

"Ah, you're so lucky, Ji. I wonder when I will ever get the blessings you had. A romantic wedding in Hawaii of all places? So jelly~" Daehwi whined as they all avoided his eyes and snickered.

"Santa might give you what you want sooner than you think," Minhwan said, dragging away Jaehwan from the snack bar, his mandu cheeks puffed out and bumpy, resembling a chipmunk. 

Jaehwan's eyes popped wide open, as ever stunned by the looks of the attractive shifters dolled up, making them look more stunning than even usual. His eyes lingered with envy on Seongwoo, who he still had quite a large crush on. Daniel beamed at his lover who was by far the most stunning in the looks department of the group, even with his hair down, little makeup, and simple dress clothes rather than a full suit. Seongwoo turned to him and grinned in a cute, silly way that made his heart fill with love. Daniel fixed his hair, tempted to ruffle the coconut style since it looked so fluffy and soft.

"No kitten eyes, please. That will be us later. Let's walk before we run, hmm?" he whispered.

Daniel knew that Seongwoo was thinking and feeling along the same lines as Daehwi but he didn't think it was a good idea just yet. They had moved into their own place a few months ago and it had been proving quite challenging. They hadn't realized how much they had been relying on Jisung and how difficult it was to juggle housework with full time jobs. They argued because Daniel didn't pick up after himself and Seongwoo had almost set the house on fire a few times with his forgetful, clumsy nature. 

The idea of marriage was still a ways down the road, though he still felt he wanted to spend the rest of his life with the near ex-shifter. They should wait until Seongwoo was more fully adjusted to human life before they got married and adopted a shifter baby which was their intention.

"Where's Jisung and Sungwoon? Woojin and Luna? They cancelled?" Jihoon asked, looking disappointed.

"You mind?" Guanlin asked Daehwi to cut in to stand close to his 'bride'. Jihoon flushed and shyly grinned as Guanlin took him into his arms and kissed his temple. "Don't worry, baby. Woojin and Luna are getting us a present. Jisung and Sungwoon are picking up some extra flowers and other last minute things. They're simply a bit late because they want our day to be perfect."

"Oh, good," Jihoon let out a shaky sigh of relief. "Does it really look okay?" 

They all chuckled, gazing at the bunny shifter with amused affection. Jihoon had been like bridezilla the last few months. None of them, even Guanlin, cared about how the wedding or their clothes looked. However, Jihoon had planned every detail out, agonizing over minor things for hours. Consequently, they were all dressed in white and sky blue designer looks on a patch of lawn overlooking the most beautiful private beach, the lawn decorated with a flowered arch, Greek statues, and pristine white elaborately carved wooden benches, a snack bar and refreshment area for the after party on the beach with umbrellad tables and even  fondue fountains. They reassured Jihoon it was amazing at Guanlin's pointed look.

"See?" He smiled and rubbed his stressed mate's shoulders.

"Yeah, things have been going smoothly so far."

Guanlin kissed his temple and reassured, "Right, that dream didn't mean anything. It's just irrational fear. Don't let it take hold of you."

They asked about his dream. The dream had involved many things going wrong with the ceremony and ended with Guanlin getting cold feet and running off with one of their friends. Jinyoung and Daniel protectively hugged their mates and glared at the infamous flirt.

Guanlin laughed, looking offended and yet also flattered. "I could take any cutie here I wanted, but like I have said before I only have eyes for the best and that's my Ji baby. I'm not going to leave you stranded at the alter, baby, for the millionth time. Relax and have some faith. If I was going to run away, it would have been the last months where you went sort of crazy with wedding plans and deprived me from my regular daily sex privelages."

They all laughed, shocked to hear Guanlin had stuck around without getting regularly laid, in the middle of mating season no less. It wasn't like him, that was for sure, or at least he didn't seem that way. It just showed what people could endure and how they could change when they were head over heels in love with someone.

Jihoon pouted. "That's right. You have a point there. I've been a terrible fiance. I wouldn't blame you for running away." 

Guanlin made a cute, aggravated growl and shook the boy in the sky blue suit roughly. "Hey, for the last time, Jihoon, I'm not leaving your side. I never have since I met you. I abandoned my family and my country, learned another language, started a new job just to continue being with you. And I never, ever will. Can you get that through your pretty, thick skull already? You're stuck with me, as impossible and frustrating as my personality can be. Because we just love each other that much. Because we're destined."

Guanlin hugged him tight and rained kisses on the shorter, cute shifter who was blushing and grinning wide, obviously flattered by the romantic confession. The others nodded and added their two-cents. Come to think of it, Guanlin had really sacrificed a lot to be with Jihoon and he had remained constantly faithful and caring. 

Jihoon beamed as he caressed Guanlin's cheek. "Ah, LinLin, that's so sweet. You're the best. I think I really chose me mate well."

They awed and clapped as Guanlin gave Jihoon a passionate smooch.

  "You didn't choose me. We were just meant to be, baby. That basketball game was the best day of my life and the greatest thing that ever happened to me, until today that is. I can't wait to start our newest journey in front of all our friends. I'm sure it will be even more exciting and fulfilling as life always is with my side."

There were more aw sounds from all over, even the four new members who just joined the group. Jaehwan, Daehwi, Jisung, and Seongwoo turned to look at their mates that were either back hugging, holding hands, or slinging their arms over them, chorusing similar lines related to 'why don't you say romantic things like that?' Daniel and Minhyun kicked and smacked Guanlin on his pert bottom, scolding him to stop making them look bad and playing Casanova. 

Then, they all turned their attention to the newcomers. Jisung and Sungwoon were wearing smart sky blue suits with white accents and matching white fedoras with a sky blue ribbon. They looked cute and as if they had been taken out of a fifties foreign film.

Luna was the biggest shock of the day. The girl that was quite the tomboy, who ate more than often with her fingers, sat with her legs splayed like a man, could beat her mate in arm wrestling and races, who never wore a speck of makeup and more often than not failed to take a brush to her curly, dark hair, looked like a professional actress on the red carpet. Her dress--sky blue silk heart-neck halter top with a flowy skirt that was cut short in the front-- had been picked out from a magazine celebrities wore, her hair curled in a tame manner and glossened, her makeup done artfully. Her legs were athletic sleek and beautifully shaped and her skin glowing with a natural tan because she liked doing outdoor activities.

They whistled and clapped, giving the radiant beauty enthusiastic compliments. She beamed and flushed. Woojin, looking much sharper and cleaner than they had ever seen with his red hair slicked back, proudly grinned, showing off his wolfy snaggletooth, and possessively wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I know, she's gorgeous today, right? Not that her natural look isn't already perfect but this look makes her absolutely breath-taking. I love you, honey."

Luna pecked him and said the phrase back even more warmly. It was clear the couple were smitten for each other, more than ever. They were official and still living together. Luna almost had no accent anymore and many of her cat habits were gone. She wasn't nearly as humanesque as Seongwoo, but she was getting there at a rapid rate thanks to all their teachings. She was working as a manager at the agency Daniel and Woojin worked.

"I can see the striking family resemblance. I think we need a memento of this before the magic is gone," Minhyun commented, holding out a camera. 

He was in charge of photos today since he wasn't a part of the ceremony line-up. He made Seongwoo and Luna, who was shy to have her picture taken and all staring at her especially next to her model brother she considered to be far superior in looks, take a picture side by side. Daniel reluctantly let his adorable lover go away from him for a few moments. 

The two stood back to back and struck a few cool, sexy, and then pretty loses as the others watched and jeered on about how good they looked together. Truly, their gene pool was amazing. They almost looked like twins now they were cleaned and doll up. The shape of their eyes, noses and their smiles were quite similar in a way that was neither specifically masculine or feminine but somewhere pleasantly in between. After Minhyun deemed he had enough photos, the siblings high-fived and shared a hug. Their mates waited with hands itching to hold their lovers, smiling softly at the affectionate scene.

Luna and Seongwoo were closer than they had ever been as children. They met at least once or twice every week to hang out and chat and they also called each other occasionally. Their favorite subjects to talk about were the similar Busan ssangnamjas in their lives and their new findings or wonderings about the human world. They had become a source of comfort, friendship, and education the last year and it was beneficial by bounds for the two cat shifters who were the group's newbies and most naive.

Seongwoo returned to Daniel's side with the usual blissful, special smile he wore after spending even a few moments with his sister. Daniel grinned knowingly, brushed his lovely cheek freckles with his thumb, and welcomed him into his arms. The tall man turned into a fragile kid as he snuggled into his mate's chest and entangled his arms around the other's waist, giggling in a giddy fashion. Daniel felt happy that Seongwoo was having a great time so far without having to work or stress about cooking and cleaning. This vacation was going to be just what he needed, he realized, then glad that he had given into his lover's endless pestering about it.

 

 

From then, it was time that they went over the ceremony with the pastor and get started on it. The couple both walked down the aisle holding hands, their best men being Daehwi, Seongwoo for Jihoon and Daniel, Woojin for Guanlin. Minhyun stayed at the front with the camera. The other's sat at the benches, applauding and watching the scene. 

The ceremony was short and sweet. They both had their own romantic vows, similar to what both had been caught saying to each other on various occasions since overall they were a pretty 'goosebump' worthy couple.

When it came time for them to finally seal their vow finally with a kiss, Guanlin took off into the sandy area, laughing as he said brightly, "Well, I'm out of here."

Jihoon looked shocked then started tearing up. Guanlin rushed back, wiped his tears, and pecked him sweetly, still chuckling at his prank to make their wedding more interesting and amusing for the young crowd who was watching, many of which found weddings quite boring.

"Just kidding, you should know that. Why are you so sensitive these days?" Guanlin teased his fiance.

Jihoon sniffled and started hitting his chest, wailing, "Yah, Lai Guanlin, you are such a jerk! I thought my dream was becoming real~ I thought you were leaving me for someone else!"

The crowd started chanting for them to finally kiss and become official already, saying there was the whole week left to fight over Guanlin's insensitive, thoughtless joke and they were hungry. They did eventually, Jihoon seeming to melt his anger away for now and smile. There were no more tears or hitting.

The group threw flower as the couple walked down the isle, their line up staying at the alter, clapping for them enthusiastically. After that, they went straight to the beach to start the after party. The waiters popped champagne and put it in their glasses. Then, the best men stood up and gave simple speeches to the couple. Daniel talked about how Guanlin was playful and obnoxious since he met him but one thing that he was sure Guanlin never joked about was how much he loved and cherished Jihoon, despite his flirtatious nature and constant threats to steal Seongwoo away. Woojin talked about how Guanlin turned into a whole different person around Jihoon, proving that Jihoon was the only one who could tame the wild chick. Daehwi talked about how Jihoon had also changed from Guanlin and how he always envied how supportive and close they were, saying that in all the time he had known them he had never seen them fight seriously. 

Seongwoo talked about how he learned how to properly care for, talk to, and experiment with mating from his dear friends, saying that a large part of the reason him and Daniel had a fairly smooth relationship was from studying their solid relationship and their amazing advice. He said that in his opinion they were the strongest couple that he had ever encountered and he was extremely happy for them.

"Ah, what's going on here? It's a happy occasion," Sungwoon teased.

Jisung and Daehwi hugged Jihoon and Guanlin who teared up at Seongwoo's sincere words.

"There's another baby here," Seongwoo teased, hugging Daniel around the neck and wiping at his tears.

Daniel hugged his waist and hid his face in Seongwoo's shirt as the guys turned to tease the notorious tough guy they hadn't seen cry in ages.

"That was a nice speech, baby. It explains a lot. No wonder why you seemed so experienced how to deal with a relationship despite being superhuman and lacking all sorts of social skills with humans. You learned from them." 

Seongwoo brushed his hair and held his alpha mate close. "Of course, I didn't want to ruin the best relationship that ever happened to me just because I was inexperienced. It all worked out well. I owe them a lot. We both do."

"We certainly do. Love you..." he murmured with a sniffle.

"Love you more. To the moon and back and every star between." 

Daniel nuzzled his stomach and Seongwoo plopped a kiss on the crown of his now platinum blonde locks.

 

 

They spent the next hour dancing to music playing from the speaker or from the guitarist, drinking champagne, eating high class barbeque and hordeoveres, and chatting all together, flitting between tables which featured various conversations. If you wanted to talk games, you could join in with Woojin, Daniel and Jihoon. If you wanted to talk composing, go to Daehwi and Jaehwan. If you wanted to discuss skin care or cleaning, stain removing techniques, go to Sungwoon and Minhyun. If you wanted dirty jokes, find Sungwoon, Guanlin and Luna together. Surprisingly, tomboy Luna proved to be as big of a pervert as any of the worst of them, especially after introduced to the shifters overall shared preference pentance for mating in human form. 

Then, there was a stir in the festivities as the 'signal' song came on, literally. They gathered in a circle as a shy, flushing Jinyoung danced and sang to the famous Twice song right in front of Daehwi. Daehwi kept laughing, clapping, covering his mouth, repeatedly going 'oh my gosh, what's wrong with you?'

The other men could understand his pain. Only Daehwi and Woojin, maybe Luna, could dance in front of others without being from a punishment or totally wasted. The group clapped and sang along to encourage him, hoping for his success. Jinyoung ended the dance on one knee, flashing finger hearts and cheesy aegyo that they would have tackled or thrown something at him for in other circumstances. He looked humiliated but tried to hide it. Daehwi's mouth dropped and tears filled his eyes as Jinyoung made his next move, taking the box out of his pocket and opening it up to display two silver and diamond matching rings inside. 

Jinyoung confessed, "I have cared about you, no, loved you without even knowing it for years, Dae. I started thinking with all this, that if those irresponsible chick and rabbit could do it, why couldn't we? After all, we are always saying how we love each other even more than they do, right? Then I started thinking that you were going to be all envious and hinting at me that you wanted this someday too. So, I decided to beat you to it for once. What do you say Dae? Will you be not just my mate for life but my fiance for awhile and then someday you can become my husband?"

Daehwi choked out a happy cry and flung himself at Jinyoung. "Yes, you silly man! Of course I will. I'm so glad you didn't make me ask or wait even. I love you!"

Jinyoung fell on the floor, careful to lift his hand up high so the rings were safe. They laughed at the mess the two young kids created in their enthusiasm. They both flushed in embarrassment, now actually aware that everyone had their eyes on them. Jinyoung wiped away Daehwi's happy, touched tears.

Jihoon was the one to start chanting, "Kiss kiss kiss!" The rest mimicked him, gradually getting louder until they gave in. The two chastely pecked once, making them complain noisily. "Eh~ That's not a kiss. Give him a real one!" They weren't going to be appeased until they got what they wanted, the obnoxious, persistent group.

"Wooh~ That's more like it!"

Some of the boys whooped like they were at a baseball game as the two kissed passionately. Then they helped them up from the ground to toss them around for hugs and sincere words of congratulations.

After that, the group went back to dancing. They took turns choosing a song to play over the speaker. Sungwoon danced to Michael Jackson. Daehwi chose Likey Likey. Daniel chose pop songs and Seongwoo surprised them all by popping and locking. Daniel had been teaching him when they had the time and energy, so he was the loudest to clap and woops proudly. Jisung chose a rock song and they all did hang banging and air guitar. Guanlin chose old Korean hip hop and performed a ral. Seongwoo put on Gashina and they all did the dance together.  Minhyun put on a pop song and did his ajussi dance they all followed long with. Daniel break danced and Woojin followed him. They had a mini dance battle off. Then the others wanted to try in. They drew sticks to split up in teams and had a few song battles.

They danced until they were all tired and the sun had started setting. Then, they had the wedding cake, after Guanlin and Jihoon stuffed it in each other's faces as tradition called in this country, and watched the sun set in a calm mood with the soft live acoustic guitar music in the background. 

They called it a night when it started getting dark because the tide was coming in and the wedding staff needed to get everything cleaned up and moved. They took a few last group pictures and tossed the flower on Jihoon's lapel in place of the bride's usual bouquet. Daehwi luckily was the one who got it, not giving anyone else ideas of something that their mates or lovers we're not quite ready for. They hugged goodnight, promising to meat the next afternoon to hang out as they planned to do everyday because life was more fun when they all played together.

 

 

The next day, the group went out to play on the beach by their hotel. All were present except for the happy couple that were spending their time probably loving each other into exhaustion, insatiable as they were on regular days.

Daniel adjusted Seongwoo's swim suit after he finished applying a fair amount of 150 spf lotion on his pale skin. Seongwoo smiled thankfully beneath his cap and sunglasses.

"What about you?" Seongwoo offered to put on sunblock for him again but he refused.

"I know you like me tan. The weaker stuff I put on earlier will be enough not to burn. What do you want to do?"

Seongwoo looked around at what the other couples had busied themselves doing. Luna and Woojin were boogie boarding. Seongwoo bit his lip as he thought about that. He still couldn't swim so it would be dangerous if he fell off. Daniel would be too busy looking out for him that they wouldn't enjoy themselves. 

Daniel watched him with an amused smile, leaning back on his palms on top of the beach towel. The nearly ex-shifter shook his head after silent deliberation, having chosen not to go boogie boarding for some reason. Funny, Daniel was sure he would go for that since he had an adventurous streak and endless curiousity about all kinds of boards. 

Seongwoo looked towards their left where Daehwi and Jinyoung were building a castle. Back behind them near the shade of some palm trees, Jisung and Sungwoon were napping in hammocks. To their right under a beach umbrella, Jaehwan was laying with his head in Minhyun's lap, playing the guitar and singing a pop song with his own particular sort of old school soul melodramatic flair. Minhyun as usual had his nose in a book, smiling serenely and stroking Jaehwan's dark, permed curls. 

Seongwoo let out a sigh and shook his head with a pouty frown. Daniel chuckled and stroked his naked back with pity.

"Can't decide?"

"We are too young for that, too old for that, too fun for that, and I can't swim."

"So it's all out of the question then? May I suggest something else? We can always do something more like Ongniel."

"What do you have in mind?" Seongwoo appeared excited. 

Daniel jumped up and took his hand. Seongwoo gracefully stood up with his help.

"Well, you might as well learn to swim while we're here. We have a week after all."

Seongwoo bit his lip and looked apprehensive, silently following his mate. He would follow his mate into the ends of the world, so water was no big issue. However, he was concerned about getting water in his lungs or a wave taking him away from Daniel forever. Daniel stopped at the water's edge that lapped at their bare toes, sensing the hesitation in his lover. He squeezed his hand and flashed a toothy confident grin that radiated brighter than the sun almost. At least in Seongwoo eyes, the warmth and beauty it brought could rival the sun for sure. Even before he spoke, Seongwoo was already put much at ease.

"Don't worry, pretty boy. There's no reason to be scared. Trust and follow me. I definitely won't go far or let go of your hand. If something happens, I promise I'm a fantastic swimmer. I worked as a life guard at the beach a few summers. I have a license to prove it. I'm part dog, part fish, part human. You won't be swept away."

Seongwoo had more pride than he used to and as ever didn't like to admit to any display of weakness or lack of manliness. He blushed and splashed his boyfriend with his  other hand.

"I'm not scared in the least. And just how many more years do I have to go before you stop calling me that. I'm handsome not pretty and I'm nearly human!"

Daniel's smile turned a hint sad then. "I know..."

As much as he tried to resist, Seongwoo was determined to lose his powers by the end of next month. Now they were living alone, he found himself jumped every night and he had never been good at resisting his attraction to his gorgeous, willing, eager to please and be pleasured boyfriend. Seongwoo could only transform his eyes and ears now and the color wasn't the same. It made him sad to see Seongwoo lose his abilities but Seongwoo insisted it was what he wanted and he still didn't regret it, so there was nothing he could do but to follow the other's wishes.

"Don't be like that. We've been over it and my answer is the same. It's for the best. No more heat cycles." Seongwoo reassured with a bright, sweet smile.

Daniel stopped breathing for a second. He was just that unbelievably gorgeous, his hair even being cut shorter so his forehead and eyebrows fully showed in a style resembling the top of a chestnut.

"I seem to recall you not minding the most recent season." 

Seongwoo flushed and chewed on his lower lip, looking down at the water, swishing his toes in it to distract them both. "It's warm, how wierd. I thought all oceans and lakes were cold..."

"Because the weather is much warmer and they get more sun."

Seongwoo had gone through his summer heat season. He had tried to hide it from Daniel whenever he was suffering but Daniel insisted on relieving him in various, exciting ways, capitalizing on how sensitive and desperate the shifter was. It could be exhausting since once he got started Seongwoo was an insatiable addict with the most incredible stamina, but he certainly enjoyed every moment of their heightened, frequent mating times that month and a half. Although it had resulted in his ex-shifter transformation progressing much faster. They both grew hot and shy as their minds flashed to naughty memories in their own bedroom from earlier in the summer.

"I really need to cool off, but this will have to do," Daniel murmured as he pulled the boy by the hand into the water. 

They went up to their waists. Seongwoo whimpered, appearing to have a hard time keeping his balance with the eb and flow of waves pressing against them. Daniel steadied him and then pulled him closer to the shore so they were up to their thighs instead. He held the shifter's shaking hands and smiled easily.

"It's okay. I got you. Sink down and put your feet out behind you," he ordered gently.

Seongwoo looked at him nervously. "Like this?"

He sank down in the water up to his shoulders and laid on the ocean floor, gripping Daniel's hands as he flexed in order to hold Seongwoo upper body from sinking below the surface of the blue water.

"Exactly. Do you trust me?"

Seongwoo looked at him lovingly for several seconds before nodding. "Completely and always."

"Good. I'm going to drag you around in the water, a bit deeper as you go on. I want you to hold my hands and kick your feet. Holding your breath will help you float. It's okay if your face goes in the water a bit. Don't drink it if it goes in, spit it out. Alright?"

"Kick my feet, hold my breath, don't drink the water, got it." 

Daniel held his hands and walked backwards. Seongwoo sucked in a big breath with his cheeks ballooning out cutely and his eyes closed, afraid water would get in, kicking furiously.

"You don't have to kick so quick. Nice and easy, long strokes. Keep holding your breath but relax your body. Great, just like that. You're doing it, baby. Great! You're swimming." 

Seongwoo opened his eyes, seeing the blonde smiling huge at him with sheer pride and delight. He could tell from how the water was up to Daniel's shoulders and he wasn't bumping the sandy floor as he kicked that Daniel had pulled him farther out into the waves. Seongwoo grinned, feeling ecstatic and proud of himself as he kept kicking and Daniel continued to pull him along, encouraging and praising him more enthusiastically than the moment deserved. The waves came and gently lifted them up and down, pulling them either further or closer to the shore.

"Woah! Daniel!" Seongwoo cried out as a wave pulled him hard out towards the deeper, open ocean.

"Got you, it's alright," Daniel reassured, tightening his grip and tugging him as he swam towards the shore.

Seongwoo kicked hard and held his breath, almost panicking. When he got closer to Daniel, he clung to his broad, bare shoulders, afraid for his life for a moment and not wanting to ever be separated from his boyfriend.

"Seongwoo, calm down. That was a strong one but it wouldn't have taken you far. I'm strong enough to hold you anyway. You're safe with me, really. Just like always. I'm here to care for and protect you from all things bad, your personal Power Ranger." 

Daniel stilled, steadying them both to a near standstill for his panicked lover to get his senses back. He held the shaking, clinging boy to his chest in comfort and chuckled.   They waded in the water for a while with Seongwoo clinging to Daniel and Daniel rubbing his smooth back.

"Better?"

"Hmm. Sorry for that. I must embarrass you for being such a scaredy cat."

Daniel shook his head, then brushed their noses together and pecked him sweetly. "What are you saying, my Ongcheongie? I could never be embarrassed of you. You're my sheer pride and joy. Anyway, cats are usually terrified or hate the water, so I would say you're doing a splendid job just by coming out here. Let's learn arms now."

  Seongwoo was still anxious and scared, but he sucked it up and continued with their lesson, mainly because he wanted to make his lover proud and get praised again, which was one of his favorite things.

Daniel next instructed him how to lift his arms, bend at the elbow, and wave them with pointed fingertips in order to pull himself forward even faster and steer where he was going. This time when he swam, Daniel pressed his stomach up so he stayed mostly afloat, swimming clumsy, slow circles around him.

"Kick a bit harder when you feel yourself sinking. Bend your elbow some more. Put your arms in straight above your head."

Seongwoo suddenly stopped, breathing hard. "Ah, I'm totally exhausted." 

Daniel held him up as he floated on his back, panting, looking up at the clear sky. "That was perfect, baby. You have great form already. I knew it, there's really nothing my Ong can't do. You're so amazing."

Daniel pet his wet hair, smoothing it off his forehead and kissed his cheek. Seongwoo flushed and grinned, thinking 'yay, I finally got praised~'

"Thank gosh. That was fun."

"Good to know. Let's try some more tomorrow."

Seongwoo agreed immediately.  This was a much better way to spend their vacation than what the others were doing. They got distracted from their relaxing silent floating session by a commotion behind them. They turned around to see that the others were all in the water now, splashing about, chasing and tossing each other in the shallow areas, laughing gaily. Daniel knew with one glance that Seongwoo wanted to join in the festivities.

"Let's go there."

He helped Seongwoo swim towards the shore. Seongwoo was feeling sluggish and heavier than normal but luckily his ever caring, observant boyfriend sensed this, so he supported him as they walked to where the water was only up to their knees. They rushed towards Luna and Woojin.

"Bro!" Luna jumped on Seongwoo, tackling him.

Daniel lost his grip and Seongwoo laughed as they fell into the water up to their necks. Luna laughed just as brightly, hugging on to her younger brother with clear boundless affection.

"Luna, be more careful. I told you there's coral over there. You're going to get cut again," Woojin scolded lightly, shaking his head with a crooked grin.

Luna was a helpless handful of a daredevil and rarely listened to anyone. Daniel immediately panicked, jumping down and picking up Seongwoo literally. They all gawked at him, not having had any clue that Daniel was possibly capable of that feat of strength. Daniel carried him to where Woojin told him was a safe area and then sat him down, observing his back and legs for any scratches. There wasn't anything besides his old scars.

Daniel sighed in relief and then turned to Luna with a stern, irritated look. Seongwoo put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head with a soft, understanding smile before he could open his mouth to scold her for endangering her nearly human brother.

"She didn't mean to. I didn't get hurt, so let it go this time." 

Daniel hesitated but couldn't deny his lover something he was sincerely asking for now, in fact he had never been able to since they met as a human and a cat even.

"Thank God you're not hurt. It scares me to think you can't heal fast. If I lost you..." Daniel murmured with relief and worry in his tone, hugging the others small frame tightly.

Seongwoo waited for him to get off balance while hugging him, then pushed him in the water, hoping to lighten his mood. Daniel was often making a big deal about little things. He was famous for being an overreacting worrywort these days, enough to rival the old Jisung even.

The others ran over, joining in on torturing Daniel. They splashed him continuously and if he tried to get up one of the members of the group would push him hard back in the water. Seongwoo had a blast laughing at his mate's expense, finding his shouts, threats, and disgruntled, pouty looks hilarious. 

 

 

"Hold on. You are going to be hot with all this on," Daniel murmured, tugging off the fur hat and one scarf. 

Seongwoo chuckled and playfully narrowed his eyes at his human mate, no boyfriend he should say since he lost all of his powers. His hands were full of christmas gifts for Daniel's family, including his two cats, so Seongwoo had to bump him with the bags instead of smacking his buff shoulder like he usually would.

  "So exactly why did you put me in all these clothes anyway? I feel like a sumo wrestler. I can't even put my arms at my sides," He complained and made another failed attempt to demonstrate his discomfort being in three jackets. 

Daniel fixed his hat hair and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I was just worried about you catching a cold. We don't know how getting sick is going to affect your body. I'm just worried about losing you."

"That won't happen. I will never, ever leave you."

"Me neither. But it still scares me. Better to be safe than very sorry." 

The door swung open in the middle of them kissing, luckily without tongue as it was revealed to be Daniel's mother.

"You're here finally! How was the trip? It's freezing, come in come in, hurry up now~" she said warmly, ushering them inside. 

They gratefully stepped into the warm home, set down their things in the living room, and removed their shoes. She swiped them both up in a warm, enthusiastic embrace individually.

"My son, how I missed you!"

"The trip was long and cold. It's been snowing quite a bit. Sorry that we're late. I missed you too."

"Hello, mom. How has your health been? And the store?"

She hugged Seongwoo tighter and longer it seemed, though Daniel wasn't really jealous. His mother had made it clear that she was overly fond of his boyfriend and wished that she could meet him more. This was only their third time. 

Last Christmas, Daniel had brought him down for nearly a week. They had hit it off instantly, talking, watching TV, shopping and knitting together. Then, his mother had visited their apartment in Seoul to bring the rest of his things from the room when they moved, some old furniture, and extra dishes and side dishes that she had. They had ate out and organized the house for one weekend, again leaving Daniel feel rather left out by how much they had in common.

"I missed my sweet Seongwoo even more. I've been just great. Seems like you have been too. You don't look as skinny and you're glowing. Daniel is treating you well I take it? You're living all lovey dovey every day, not fighting? If he causes you any stress, you just tell Mom. I will scold him and drag him by the ear all the way to China."

"Mom~ Stop always taking Seongwoo's side. I feel abandoned. Who's your real son here?" Daniel pouted and whined, shaking her shoulders. 

She wrapped her arms around both of them and pecked their cheeks. "You're both my sons now. You told me to adopt Seongwoo since his parents both passed away, right? He's part of our family now. I adore him just as much as you do. So, you better treat him nice and not lose him, or I'm going to be really upset with you."

"Mom..."

"Don't worry, mom. Daniel treats me the best out of anyone I've ever known. He cares and worries, he helps me, he's gentle, understanding, compassionate, loving, a great listener. He's an amazing man. I would never want to run away from him."

She laughed and pat Seongwoo hard on the back several times. "I know, I know. I raised the greatest boy in the world. He's loved by many, even more now he's appeared on TV and your fans know of him through your SNS posts. I love the fact you are open with your relationship, by the way, it's admirable. I was just teasing because he gets the cutest when he's sulky. Reminds me of when he was much younger and he looked like a peach. Now let's get your stuff organized if you're going to be staying for the week."

They grabbed their suitcase and bag and followed her to the guest room they had used last year.

"Woah, stalker fan much..." Daniel whistled. 

Seongwoo, on the other hand, teared up as he turned around to look at every wall.

"Mom, I love you too. I'm so touched. Thank you for being my fan."

Seongwoo's mother had redecorated the room to make it seem more like theirs. Three walls were full of Seongwoo's advertisement posters, magazine cutouts, banners with his nicknames and nice sayings, even one that said 'love you forever.' One wall had pictures of Daniel, some from online or his occasional TV appearances as a back up dancer. Daniel stood next to his wall as Seongwoo happily bounded to his mother and jumped in her arms, cradling the shorter woman's head like a teddy bear. She laughed and hugged him back, lifting his small frame with her strength.

"Why is there only one wall for me?" Daniel sulked.

"Because you're not as famous and I'm a huge Ong Seongwoo fan. I collected all sorts of things from you guys. Look here."

She went to the closet and pulled out two large boxes. Inside the box were all sorts of things related to them, every album of artists that Daniel had choreographed for, every magazine they had interviewed or appeared in individually and as a couple, the light stick and banners from Seongwoo's fan meeting, CDs with the lives Daniel appeared in as a back up dancer, dolls, cutouts, and products designed with Seongwoo's face, even a calendar of photos of the two of them. She pointed out she had photos framed of them together. Daniel recognized they were photos that he had sent over the year through messages. She had got them printed in high definition. She looked like an Ongniel otaku if people saw this without knowing about their relationship.

Daniel suddenly started laughing, slapping his boyfriend's back who was looking overwhelmed and surprised. "This is rather cute. I think we can tell her that we're getting married. She won't care at all. Unless maybe she's jealous she can't divorce my father and marry you herself?"

Daniel's mother blushed and smiled like a school girl, making that seem even more likely to be true.

"Daniel!" Seongwoo gasped and reprimanded him with a 'shh' motion.

Daniel and him had discussed about when to tell his parents about their decision to get married next summer just after Jinyoung and Daehwi had their cherry blossom wedding in Jinhae next spring. The other couples hadn't proposed yet but they were going to feel pressured after six of their friends were married. Seongwoo had worried about telling his mother because it would mean that she could never have blood related grand children. He was vehement about telling her their idea to adopt until several years down the road if it actually happened.

"What was that? Repeat what you said again slowly." Her eyes were sparkling and she was fighting back a grin as if scared to get too excited in case she had heard it wrong.

"We're thinking of getting married next summer."

"You proposed and you didn't tell me?" She shrieked, smacking his shoulder. 

Daniel jumped up and hid behind Seongwoo. Of course she stopped before getting close to Seongwoo with her stinging hands like he had expected. It made him pout again. He was glad she liked Seongwoo too but come on, the favoritism here and the double standard was infuriating. Now he knew what it was like to have a brother and why many brothers ended up fighting. 

"No, I didn't propose yet. I didn't think I would have to. I know Seongwoo's answer already and it's too embarrassing. He knows how I feel. We've been through a lot."

"Kang Daniel, how could you? I know I raised you better than that. Getting married without having a proper, romantic proposal complete with ring is the same as having a birthday party without any cake or presents."

"Wait, you're saying that it's pretty much void?"

"Yes, and Seongwoo will regret it and secretly resent you for it for life. I bet one day he gets drink on beer and it all spills out with him crying and hitting you. You better do it before summer. It doesn't have to be a big deal, make it simple and sweet. Something that matches your personality." 

Seongwoo furiously shook his head and hands, seeming uncomfortable. "No, no, no. It's okay. I told him I don't need that sort of thing. It would be embarrassing for both of us, being guys."

"Nonsense, Seongwoo. Don't let him get away with that or who knows what he will skip out on later. Birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries. You need to train your man well with these sorts of things," she insisted, glaring at her real son.

"Train? Why do I feel like a puppy who got caught peeing on the sofa?" Daniel responded with offense and a snort, half laugh of sheer disbelief.

"Believe me, Seongwoo. He's my son, so I know. He doesn't take hints well. I'm sure that you have been giving him hints that you wanted him to but he's not going to get it. You've got to tell him right to his face what you want, loud and clear. He will do it for you, I know. Because he loves you insanely." 

Daniel nodded, at least acknowledging that bit was true. Then, he held his boyfriend's jaw gently and turned his head, looking in those dark, almond shaped eyes. He brushed the other's lovely moles with his thumb.

"You haven't been hiding your desires from me and dropping me hints that I've failed to pick up on, have you?"

Seongwoo blushed and chewed on his thin, pink lowerlip. "Well..." Came his hesitant reply.

"You have, shit." Daniel sighed.

"He has, told you so," his mother beamed, looking satisfied with herself. "No cursing in the house though, please."

"Sorry Seongwoo, I didn't know. I wish you would have just been honest. If you want it, I will suffer through any embarrassing thing. Do you want a romantic, super cheesy, goosebump giving, gag enducing proposal? Like how Jinyoung did?"

Seongwoo flushed a darker shade of pink and nodded. "It doesn't have to be that level, but some sort of event and a ring at least would be nice."

"I can do that, sure. Not so hard to tell me, right?" Daniel pet his cheek some more and kissed his lips.

"Great. Niel, come with me. We are going to plan a proposal tonight. It can't be secret anymore but at least it can be sweet."

Daniel's mother took his hand and told Seongwoo to entertain himself or take a rest. They went into her bedroom to discuss the plan.

 

 

Seongwoo was left in their room which was more like a shrine, mainly to him. Seongwoo was left there, smiling and giggling to himself.

"I really like that woman. I wish my mom had been more like that."

He sobered as he thought of his late mother and how he really hadn't known her and he only saw the good side of her until it was too late to appreciate and enjoy it. He heard familiar meows, breaking him out of his funk. It was his old friends, Peter and Rooney.

"Hi, girls. Do you remember me? It's Seongwoo Oppa. The brown cat you met. This is the real me. I am a human now."

Peter looked at him with surprise and interest. Rooney looked something like irritated or betrayed. He knew they could understand him so he continued to talk to them.

"Sorry I couldn't tell you the truth. Shifters exist but we try to keep our identity hidden from all humans and animals. For the safety of the clan, the elders say. Though I'm not so certain that is a good idea after all. Maybe creatures around the world are more accepting than the elders thought and our ways are outdated, archaic.  Anyway, it's really me. I'm the same person. I can be your Oppa and play with you a lot. And I promise to take good care of your master when we're away in Seoul."

Peter meowed happily and crawled in his lap. Seongwoo pet her and scratched her ears. She licked his hand, seeming happy to see him again. Rooney was still remaining distant, apparently hesitating about wether to trust, believe, and approach him.

"Rooney, don't be mad. I really didn't want to lie to you but I had no choice. I wanted friends but you might have been scared of me if I told you or you saw I changed form. But you saw me like this that day. I wasn't hiding it. I just didn't say it out loud. I promise everything I said was true and the way I acted was real. I care about you girls like my own sisters. Come here, Rooney..." He coaxed in a charming, calm tone, rubbing his outstretched fingers together.

Rooney cocked her head left and right, an unsure expression on her face. Eventually she took a few hesitant steps forward and sniffed his hand. When she smelled the exact scent she remembered, her attitude changed. She seemed relaxed and happy as she brushed her body along and under his hand. Peter meowed as if she was telling Rooney off lightly for being so stubborn and mean to their Oppa. As an apology, Rooney acted sweeter than he even recalled, considering she was the one that didn't like skinship as much.

He spent several minutes petting and chatting with them. They meowed back at him but he wasn't able to interpret as easily without his cat form. If he still had his ability to change his ears, it would have been possible but he was human now, as he had wanted. He was hit by his first wave of regret since it had finally happened. He felt saddened that he couldn't communicate perfectly with these two who nearly a year ago had felt almost like family. They had talked a lot about Daniel, who they all loved and were sometimes frustrated with. They had played tag and bathed each other. 

For several moments, he missed his cat body that he had always rather disliked because it robbed him of that.

 

 

Daniel came into the room and understood what his boyfriend was thinking with one look at his gloomy, blank expression as he looked down at the cats he was petting, affectionately rubbing and climbing all over him.

"Seongwoo, are you okay? Missing your other self?" He sat down and rubbed the other's head softly.

Seongwoo wiped a tear from his eye and sniffled, looking up at him and forcing a smile. "Just for a moment there. It's frustrating not knowing what these two are saying. They understand me, they remember me, and they're talking to me but I can't interpret it well. It makes me feel bad. I kind of thought of them as surrogate sisters when we played together."

"Ah, I see. I totally understand that feeling. They have been my daughters, my girlfriends, my best friends for years. I wish I knew what they were saying all the time."

"But it's different for me because for two days I knew but now that my abilities are gone I don't have the slightest clue. There's just... silence in my brain. Just familiar noise that I don't recall the meaning. It's like forgetting your mother tongue all of a sudden. I know that I used to know it and I should understand it but no matter how hard I try to recall I am making guesses here. It's a very frustrating, upsetting feeling." 

Daniel scooted closer so he could hug him tight. Seongwoo accepted the comfort gratefully but didn't cry anymore. The cats crawled up on his chest and arms, licking and nuzzling his face.

"You know what they're saying now right, without speaking cat."

"They are telling me it's okay, I think. And that they love me."

"Exactly. They are very loving and talkative, my pretty girls." 

They all looked at Seongwoo as he turned sulky. Daniel was flabbergasted for a moment. Seongwoo was a bright, positive guy that by nature was hardly ever upset. Then he thought over every little word he said in detail and it struck him. He tried to look at Seongwoo with a big grin. Seongwoo maintained his pouty upset look, stubbornly turning away to avoid their eyes connecting.

"Aigoo, such a cutie. All those hundreds of times I've been reprimanded for calling you pretty boy and now I say it to someone else and you get jealous. You're jealous I said pretty girl, didn't you?" He pressed with amusement.

"No..." Seongwoo denied but it sounded like he was faking it and he had some wavering in his tone.

Daniel laughed and shook him, nuzzling his warm cheek. The cats were looking up at them with half curiousity and half concern for their oppa's unusual moodiness. Seongwoo sniffled.

"Oh goodness, you're crying now?" Daniel teased with disbelief and squeezed him tight.

"No!" Seongwoo insisted firmly, then sniffled again.

He was totally caught this time. Seongwoo was jealous and missing being called pretty. He thought he would never see the day when that would happen. Eventually after many kisses and coaxing and too tight squeezing, Seongwoo said what was on his mind just to stop Daniel from bothering him anymore.

"I don't want to hear you say pretty to anyone else. It makes me feel like I'm not your pretty boy anymore."

"Aw, I understand. I will call you pretty boy then. I haven't said it for awhile since you said you hated it repeatedly. I like calling you that. I actually miss it. You know, just because I don't say it and even though you no longer have your awesome shifter powers, I will always consider you to be my pretty boy."

"Ah, really? Well, in that case, I will let you keep calling me that. I will never complain about it again. Consider it another Christmas present."

Daniel thought that nothing would have topped his present last year--Seongwoo presenting himself in leather, lace stockings, and a ribbon around his neck complete with green eyes and cat ears like he had seen in one of his kinkier pornos--but this came pretty close. He was ecstatic to have permission to call him by his favorite intimate, sweet, and cute nickname.

"Wait, shouldn't it be more like a present to you? There you go again, flipping the tables on me. My little troublemaker minx."

Seongwoo moaned as he pulled him tight to his chest again and nibbled the top of his extremely sensitive ear, one of his turn on spots. Daniel smirked wickedly as he heard the sound. He nibbled down the ridge, flicking his tongue expertly. Seongwoo gasped as he licked the lobe and then took it into his hot mouth, giving it a hard suck. Seongwoo moaned wantonly.

Just then, they heard Daniel's mom call them for dinner. They jumped apart, feeling guilty and dirty to be doing anything remotely sensual while in the vicinity of an adult. They rushed out of the room, blushing and looking apologetic. Daniel's mother didn't say anything, though her slight smile and twinkling, wise eyes suggested she could have easily guessed the reason for their hurry, physical distance, and reactions.

She had the table full of side dishes, stew, lettuce to wrap rice in, bowls of rice and steaming fish she had heated up quickly while they were chatting. The boys' stomachs growled, showing they were starving to an extent neither had quite realized. They rushed to sit down, grabbed their chopsticks like they were spears, and dug into their food which was in a way their prey. They left no morsel mercy. 

His mother looked surprise, eating slowly and nibbling on her chopsticks as the two ate speedily in total silence barely even taking the time to breathe properly between bites. "Slow down, son, Seongwoo. You're going to give yourself indegestion."

"It's so good."

"Cant stop myself."

They murmured unintelligibly through their full mouths, covering with their hands in case food slipped out or was seen.

 

 

After eating, they did the dishes together, insisting their mom relax. Then they went on the couch and put on Home Alone, the go-to Christmas movie in their country that was showing on several different channels all through the holiday week. Daniel's mom asked to see pictures of their house fully decorated. Seongwoo had taken charge of that since Daniel was too lazy to, often preferring when he was at home to simply eat, sleep, make love, drink beer with their friends who often visited, and play online games with Jihoon. She approved of most things and suggested ways they could make the place look nicer. Seongwoo took notes, promising to force Daniel to go shopping and take Jisung and Daehwi who had a more aesthetic eye than they did for a second opinion.

Daniel complained, "If you prefer them as a shopping date, why am I going?"

Seongwoo ruffled his hair and smiled playfully. "We need some tough, sturdy guy to carry bags, that's why."

Daniel's mouth dropped, looking offended. "That's why?"

His mother burst in a fit of giggles, patting Seongwoo's arm.

"Omo, I love it when your naughty side comes out, Seongwoo. That's just evil, but to be honest that's what I make him do as well."

Daniel dropped his head towards his knees with a pout. "Once a bag boy, forever a bag boy..." 

"I still love you, my bag boy," Seongwoo leaned down to hug his shoulders and kiss his cheek.

Daniel grumbled but couldn't hold back his flattered grin and flush.

Daniel's mom squealed and clapped her hands repeatedly like a fangirl. "Aw, precious~ You two are perfect. No wonder you have so many supporters. OngNiel for life."

"Mom, what is that?" Daniel was flabbergasted as she showed a rubber band bracelet with the slogan 'Ongniel is Science for life.'

"I'm an honorary member of this fan club, centered in Busan. We even opened up an art gallery recently dedicated to you two love birds."

"You were in charge of that?"

The couple was left shocked again. They had seen images online of an art exhibition opened last weekend that had blown up pictures of them inside. It had made them both touched. Daniel, who had never thought that there would be people in the world that would not only accept his gayness but full-out support it, had cried in Seongwoo's arms.

She hummed and nodded, smiling proudly. "It was a success. Lots of people came. We got to fangirl about you both a lot. I had a blast. Now that you guys are famous, I get to feel like a school girl again."

"Dad just let's you do this?" Daniel scoffed with disbelief.

"Dad gives me money for it actually. He supports it completely. He's proud of his son and wants you to be exposed even more. We both brag about you and Seongwoo all the time. You're probably more well known in this town than anywhere else."

Seongwoo and Daniel looked at each other, not sure how to react. Then they both laughed, finding the whole situation funny. They both told the woman they loved her and jumped her to have a group hug.

After that, she was antsy to open her presents. Seongwoo had picked her up designer scarves, coats, and bags from one of his jobs, as they often gifted him with free clothes or asked if he would like to take something in gratitude of his photos and commercials increasing their sales.

"They're wonderful. You have such great taste. Be my personal shopper!"

She attacked Seongwoo with kisses, stealing him from the arms of his lover. Daniel pouted at having him taken away again. He just couldn't catch a break with his mother, she was just as bad about hogging Seongwoo as his friends were but he couldn't snap at her as she was quite strong and intimidating despite her short height. He recalled with a shiver one time in high school he had tried to hide his report card and his mother had wrestled him to the bed and sat on him with surprising ease despite he was much taller than her.

"He's too busy with schedules I think for that. I can speak to his manager."

"There's no need to fuss with formalities. Of course, I'm in charge of keeping up with his schedukes, so I know how busy our Fourth Dimension Visual King is. I will just go shopping with him a lot this week. And I can always ask for your opinion over Kakao right?"

"Of course!" Seongwoo agreed brightly.

"Great, as if you don't steal his time enough already..." Daniel grumbled, taking his irritation out on some innocent wrapping paper leftovers.

His mother and Seongwoo often chatted, interrupting their dates they incoprated occasionally in order to keep their romance alive. She gave him a hug and comforting pat on the back. Seongwoo rubbed his shoulders, saving the shreds of paper.

"Why don't you show her your present? Daniel's present is typical of him, really thoughtful and full of sense."

He had bought her an easy to use coffee maker and bath products good for fatigue and arthritis which she suffered from.

She teared up as she held the presents and wrapping close. "Such a sweet heart, my Niel. Thank you."

"It's nothing considering all you've done. It wasn't easy to raise me with Dad gone almost all the time..." He muttered, looking down at his fiddling hands and flushing with embarrassment.

Seongwoo watched their interaction fondly, happy to see the deep, unconditional love between them and proud of his lover for being such a caring person despite he put up a rough, manly front to hide that fact.

"It's everything. I really raised you well. You're my life's greatest work," she insisted, grabbing his chin, turning his head and giving him a large peck on the lips.

"Mom, I'm in my mid-twenties now..." He whined, glancing at Seongwoo like he didn't want Seongwoo to see his mate being babied though Seongwoo didn't mind at all.

Nothing could take away from Daniel's masculinity in his mind, not after he had faught a group of supernatural beings and came out on top. All for his sake.

 

 

A few days later, Daniel insisted that they go to a norebang in downtown Busan. They sang all their favorite songs and Daniel put on some ballad songs that he wanted Seongwoo to sing because he loved his voice.

"Where are you going? I thought you liked this song."

"I do, but I've really got to go to the bathroom. Be back quick."

Daniel reassured his boyfriend who looked worried and slightly lonely at the thought of singing through a mic all by himself which he had never done. His fully human lover had always been by his side when they went to norebang. Except the first time he'd slipped out to get a cake, but if nature was urgently calling, he had to respect that.

Daniel slipped out the room, shut the door, and paced up and down the noisy hallway as he took deep breaths to calm his nerves, his hand resting over his racing heart.

"Wah, I'm really doing this. I can't believe Kang Daniel is going to pull off some cheesy proposal. Ah, I'm going to go crazy. Why am I so nervous when I know that the answer is going to be yes?"

How much the other guys would love to record this moment so they could blackmail him with it later like they were doing with Jinyoung and Guanlin.

He checked that he had everything needed in his pockets. Then, he called his mom to go over the plan and get some much-needed encouragement.

"I know it's embarrassing and not like you, son, but you have to push that thought away and do it earnestly just as we planned. Seongwoo will love it. It's the most important, romantic memory of his life. It's not the first time you're being romantic with him anyway, right?"

"Er, no..."

Wait, was it? What had he done the last year and a half that could be considered romantic? He wasn't sure. He wasn't the romantic type like Sungwoon, and Guanlin. He didn't have that part of his personality as far as he understood the meaning of the word. Would what he was doing be considered romantic? Could he pull it off?

Hmm, maybe. It would be embarrassing as hell and he would have to immensely fight the impulse to either runaway or hide in a humiliated ball under the table, but he had to pull it off. His baby wanted it and he would do anything for him, just as he had always felt since he first met him back in that crowded library. The day his breath, his heart, his very soul were taken and still being held captive by the most ethereally beautiful and enchanting creature in the universe. He was at Ong Seongwoo's mercy in all things like an eternally devoted, faithful disciple that needed nothing in life but the approval and presence of their deity and he didn't mind it a bit.

He took out the silver bands his mother had helped him choose online and wore one on his own ring finger on his left hand, the only place he had never dared to put a ring on because of its significance. He looked down at it and smiled. It felt and looked perfect as well as had the magical effect of calming down his racing heart and steadying his shaky hands slightly.

"You can do this, Dan. It's just a few minutes of singing and a question, simple as that. Nothing to be scared or embarrassed of," he reassured himself.

Then, he took a few deep breaths and tried to literally shake the rest of his nerves out. He looked at the ring, holding the door handle to the room his fiance was waiting in, stealing himself for the biggest, most meaningful stage of his life. Don't fuck this up, please, especially no voice cracking. 

Seongwoo paused in the middle of capturing the emotion in the songs highlight when he saw Daniel come in. He covered his mouth as he snorted. Daniel was wearing the dog eared headband from their day at the amusement park, equiped with an additional strap on nose and slip on white paws to compete the puppy cosplay. He looked adorable yet ridiculous. Daniel didn't comment about it, merely smiled secretively as he took the remote and switched songs. 

"105 is the number that comes to my head  
When I think of all the years I wanna be with you  
Wake up every morning with you in my bed  
That's precisely what I plan to do..."

Seongwoo realized instantly what was going to happen in a few minutes as he heard a familiar tune. It was 'Marry Me' by Jason Derulo... Holy smokes, Daniel is going to propose!

"I'll say will you marry me  
I swear that I will mean it  
I'll say will you marry me

How many guys in the world can make me feel like this?  
Baby I don't ever plan to find out  
The more I look, the more I find the reasons why  
You’re the love of my life..."

During the chorus, Daniel sang right to him and bent on one knee holding out a box with a ring on it. Seongwoo covered his hand with his mouth, tearing up, whispering "oh my god..."

"I'll say will you marry me  
I swear that I will mean it  
I'll say will you marry me

I'll say will you marry me  
I swear that I will mean it  
I'll say will you marry me

Ooh whoa ooh oh  
Ooh whoa ooh oh  
Ooh whoa ooh oh..."

He stayed there until the end of the song. Instead of saying the last line he asked him with a wide nervous grin. "Would you marry me baby?"

"Yes, you silly puppy. Yes, yes, yes, a million times yes, I will marry you," Seongwoo exclaimed as he jumped forward and hugged him.

Daniel stood up and embraced him tight, then happily swung him around as they both giggled. Daniel held him up so that Seongwoo was higher up. They looked at each other with lovely, delighted smiles. They both had tears in their eyes, happy tears.

"I love you, Seongwoo. You have made me the happiest guy on Earth. Let's be happy always and never fight."

"Agreed wholeheartedly. I love you."

"But I love you more." Daniel nipped at his chin.

"Not possible." Seongwoo nipped at his nose.

"Totally is. Wait, does this count as a fight?" Daniel hummed, his brow wrinkling in thought.

Seongwoo reached up and pushed his finger to it, making the line relax. "I'm pretty sure it counts as flirting."

"Ah, we're good then." His lovely, dimpled smile returned.

Seongwoo brushed his face and kissed him a few times. Daniel gently, eagerly kissed back, pouring his love and ecstasy into his lips as much as possible.

"We're more than good, Niel. We're perfect. Match made in heaven," Seongwoo whispered against his lips with a breezy grin.

Daniel beamed, tempted to steal more kisses and then take him right here on the norebang sofa. "Indeed we are, pretty boy. Indeed we are."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we end with revealing that Seongwoo is finally human! Did you notice his cat habits are gone and he didn't make any language mistakes? He's changed a lot and now that he has, Daniel is ready to 'take the plunge~'
> 
> Thank you for sticking with me through this whole story! I hope that you liked this epilogue. As requested from some subs, there is a wedding and a meeting with Dan's mom. I tried to make it extra fluffy, funny, and sweet. I won't put in Ongniel's wedding because that would require another big time skip and I think that's enough time skipping. Seongwoo became human, Ongniel moved in together, Panwink got married, Jinhwi's engaged, 2sung and MinHwan are just being themselves(they also live together), Woojin and Luna are dating and still living together, Daniel's mom is a supporter/huge official fan of Ongniel(She actually is by the way which gave inspiration, she's admitted to/been seen supporting Seongwoo, she says he's really sweet and there's been photos of her buying Ong and niel fan goods haha). There's lots of things I guess for you to like in here and I'm pretty satisfied that it ties up loose ends. Hopefully, there wasn't something I missed that you guys want to know or are confused about. I guess at this point it's just gotta be left to the imagination.
> 
> I decided to extend this story by two more chapters. They are sort of side stories, alternate realities that this story could have turned into instead.
> 
> Please leave a comment, tell me what you think about he chapter and the story in general. Thanks so much for your support. I hope you will stay subscribed and tune in to the final chapters whenever it gets put up. Love you all!
> 
> <3 Raina


	36. Frenemies: Romeo Juliette romance without the dying(Epilogue 3 Alt Story)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final alt epilogue where Ongniel are both shifters wishing to escape to the human world. (Occurs inside of Daniel's dream)

"Daniel....Are you okay?"

Seongwoo wondered what his husband was dreaming about. It was the first night of their honeymoon. They had made love in their Hawaiian bungalow close to the beach by moonlight for hours until they fell into an exhausted sleep. Seongwoo was stirred awake by his husband. Daniel was having some either terrible nightmare or a very strange dream, seeing as he was making running motions and literally woofing. 

"Honey, wake up. Is it a nightmare?" Seongwoo asked softly with concern, shaking his bare, buff shoulder.

Daniel woofed and smiled brightly. Then he panted and stuck out his tongue. Seongwoo sat back and started laughing, realizing he had nothing to be concerned about.

"What on Earth are you dreaming about, Niel? Are you a dog? He really looks like one sometimes. Such a cutie..."

Seongwoo brushed the man's blond hair off his forehead and pecked him there softly before he laid down to try to sleep. He smiled as he rested his head on his folded hands, watching the man who was having some pleasant, strange dream with fondness.

 

 

Wow, the weather's nice. It feels great to run. Hmm, flowers~ They smell nice, like honey. Do they taste as good as they smell? Yuck. They taste awful, not like honey at all. Ah, an itch. Pesky thing! Must scratch~ Is that food? No, it's a bug! GAH! Run away!

Daniel--a dog shifter who's animal form was a large, fluffy, white, young Samoyed--ran wildly from the meadow to the bank of the lake for safety. Those kinds of bugs liked flowers and were scared of water, he knew. He would need to camp here until it was gone.

Daniel shivered in distaste, his large body shaking like a cloud on the spring breeze. An encounter with bugs really ruined his day. They were just terrifying creatures. He lived in the forest though so he couldn't avoid it. Luckily, the dog shifter tribe lived on the side of the lake with more mountains not the forest side. That was cat shifter tribe territory.

To say that their tribes didn't get along or had differences of opinion was a gross understatement. They were pretty much natural enemies since the start of the universe. They were simply as different in characteristics, opinions and interests as day and night. Or so he understood from his father, the alpha leader, and many of the conservative elders. He had seen cat shifters here and there from a distance or when there were individuals sent to their camp for diplomatic meetings to settle territorial disputes but he never chatted with them. He only knew of them from rumors, and those were not good.

The lake was divided along the curved line between the meadow and plains. He had crossed over just a bit to explore the meadow as he ran, enjoying how the plants and long grass scratched his fur. He could get in big trouble if anyone saw but he was the only dog shifter here and cat shifters hated water so they didn't have much reason to come to this area if it wasn't mating season, some mates using the grass as cover and enhanced privacy for their intimate acts.

Feeling still itchy and concerned about bugs following him to get revenge for eating their resting place or food source, he jumped into the cool pristine water. He loved swimming, especially in the clean mountain stream water. He splashed around, getting every part of his body wet except for his head for several minutes. He felt refreshed as he stepped out onto the dirt bank.

He tensed and shook hard, making his body shake from head to toe and back again. The lake water drops went flying all about in various directions. His hair was not stuck to his body but sticking out in little white spikes like a baby dandelion. In less than an hour the sun would have it dry and soft again. He was proud of his coat. It was long, thick, snow-white, and naturally soft. He got many admirers from it.

Not that it mattered yet. He wasn't of mating age. Shifters had different ages for mating, dogs were known for being long--cats were average, he heard that the bird shifting clans were the shortest. He wasn't that curious. In his tribe, or pack as they called it among themselves, mating came with various adult responsibilities, especially since he would be an alpha as well the next in line for chief.

Daniel didn't do responsibility well. He liked to play and run. He was always younger at heart than the other pups, and in some opinions a lot more immature. His father, always a kind, good-natured, comical man, teased him that since he acted half his age that he was going to end up being all grey and molting, nearing three hundred in doggy years by the time Daniel was mature enough to take over the clan.

"Ugh. I'm soaked! Stupid spring showers."

Daniel's white, upright ears perked forward and he cocked his head with curiosity as he heard meows. There was a cat shifter in the meadow. He was finally going to talk to one in the flesh! Er, in the furry flesh.

He barked in warning and then in greeting and then in apology, his feelings confused. He was curious yet scared to meet a member from the rival tribe. He wanted to talk if he could but cat shifters were infamous for being unfriendly, unsociable, and no nonsense. They hardly chatted with each other even. With dogs, they were rumored to be hostile and violent.

"Oh, of course it was a dumb dog~" the cat shifter complained as it came out of the grass, shaking its slightly wet body.

"Sorry, I thought no one was here," Daniel murmured apologetically, backing up into the water's edge.

The cat was larger than any he had ever seen. He had a sleek, short haired brown coat with small black spots here and there. His eyes were a stark green that was like emerald and lime colors mixed. He moved with speed and grace, seeming like the most confident animal he had ever seen. He was...beautiful, though it was odd to say that to a male enemy. 

The cat slipped out of the grass, sat down on the dirt bank, and observed his tail with disgust before he started licking at it. His tongue was tiny, pink, and flexible. After his tail, he cleaned his paws and his back. He was much more meticulous than dog shifters were. Then, he glanced Daniel's way with a bit less annoyance. He had a hint of curiosity and amusement in his green eyes.

"Do you like water that much you're going to take another bath? Or are you actually scared of me?" he teased.

Daniel was slightly shaking and backed up a few more inches into the water as the brown cat stepped his way as a test. He let out a purr that sounded like a laugh. He was laughing at Daniel, no that wouldn't do. His dog shifter pride was hurt. People couldn't see him afraid of anything, except bugs which he couldn’t always control.

"I'm not scared of you. Why would I be? I'm twice your size," Daniel bluffed.

The cat laughed again, sitting down with a playful, teasing smile like he didn't believe him. The sound was like music, nice sounding music.

"Exactly. You're twice my size with much more power and larger fangs and claws. So, why exactly are you shivering like a leaf?" he asked in a sassy tone.

Daniel stopped, hating having that fact pointed out. "I'm just cold..." He muttered with a pout.

"Then get out of the water. Problem solved. You're not very bright, are you?" the cat shifter teased again.

Daniel couldn't say he was but he wasn't going to comment on the slight insult. The cat said it with an amused grin, not meaning to be rude he guessed. Maybe insulting dogs was just a cat shifter thing, even when we were being friendly. 

"I thought no one was out here. Sorry for splashing you."

"It's okay, I guess. I was feeling hot but that drizzle cooled me down quite a lot."

Daniel sighed in relief and smiled in a friendly way. Their tones were more gentler and friendlier now and the cat shifter hadn't tried to claw at him yet. He was civil, for the most part. "We got off on the wrong paw it seems. I'm Daniel."

"I'm Seongwoo. Nice to meet you. I've heard of you though. You're the son of the chief, right?" Seongwoo smiled softly.

Daniel nodded and grinned wider, sort of with pride though he didn't usually care for the title. He liked that this pretty shifter seemed to know him. He also liked that the shifter wasn't acting as they were rumored to. 

"Do you know of me?" Seongwoo licked his paw, his eyes flashing with playfulness, his long, white whiskers shaking.

"Er, sorry... your clan is a total mystery to me."

"Hmm, really? How about I give you some time to ask as many questions as you want? But we should get under cover. Others will flip if they see us together. You know how they are about the fued..."

Daniel agreed and followed him into the shelter of the grass where they could talk under total cover, not worrying about their conversation being discovered and raining down unpleasant consequences. They laid down across from each other in the grass. Seongwoo captured a few flowers in his claws, proceeding to munch on them to keep himself entertained or maybe he was just a fidgetier.

"Shoot, big guy. What do you want to know?"

 Daniel stretched out and laid his head on his paws, eyes drifting almost closed. The sun felt great on his wet fur. He wasn't cold at all now. Or terrified. He felt calm, peaceful, and sort of sleepy. This shifter didn't mean him any harm and he was confident he could take him in a fight if it came to that. Actually, he was wondering why the cat shifter hadn’t started something yet. From what he understood, cat shifters were quick to strike with their claws and hiss fiercely when encountering dog shifters by surprise. Maybe he just wasn't the sort that was scary. Or maybe Seongwoo was the brave, less skittish, more rational type.

 "Hmm, is it true that you cats are unfriendly? Hate humans? Don't talk even to each other much?"

Seongwoo snorted, a piece of a violet petal falling onto his paw from his mouth. Daniel looked at it with curiosity, his face feeling hotter as he thought the color suited him. Seongwoo was prettier than other cats he had seen. He had such delicate, enchanting features and his coat was incredibly glossy. He smelled nice too.

Daniel apologized for sniffling him, muttering, "It's a dog thing. We can't help it when something smells interesting..."

Seongwoo smiled with amusement, laughing at the dog shifter inside his head clearly. "Thanks for the compliment, I guess? You sure have a lot of questions in one. I'll answer them simply. That's all true. We don't in general like humans, which is why we hardly use our human forms or interact with them. We are serious practical and quiet. We don't chat that much. Unless I guess a bit during courting season."

"You mated? What's it like?"

Seongwoo gazed at his ears as they perked forward, then batted it curiously with his paw. Daniel was slightly worried about his lethal claws he had seen destroy the flowers earlier but didn't move, except to laugh and twitch his suddenly itchy ear.

"You have cute ears. Don't get so excited about mating though. It's a disgusting, messy, bothersome, and boring event. Totally overhyped. I didn't enjoy it in the slightest the one time I did it. My clan thinks I'm crazy for avoiding it and refusing all advances. I'm more interested in the human world, which had made me an outcast. I have been sneaking out and exploring. Planning a way to get out."

"Wouldn't your family give you permission if you just honestly insisted that's what you wanted?" Daniel asked with a tilted head.

 His father allowed freedom of choice in all things and they regularly changed into their human forms and explored the town. He liked those times. He preferred his dog body since he didn't like to wear clothes and he could move around much faster, but he didn't mind his human body. It had a lot of benefits. Suddenly he was curious about what Seongwoo's human body looked like. His was handsome--he had heard--with a large, buff body, warm huge almond shaped brown eyes, and naturally fluffy blonde hair. It sort of resembled his shifter body in various ways. He hoped that Seongwoo's did too, that it was just as pretty or even prettier, especially his enchanting eyes and silky brown, super good smelling hair.

"Your clan is very different from ours then. For us, openly liking humans and wanting to explore the human world is a disgrace on your whole family and terms for exile."

Seongwoo appeared sad and frustrated like he was really tired of living with the realities of his situation.

"My father is considerate and loose with his rules on our pack members. If someone wants to go, he lets them, saying they are welcome to come back or come to him for help since life can be tougher in the human world. They cannot do as they please so easily. All of these extra responsibilities we don't have to think about."

 "Your father doesn't threaten or punish them even for leaving?" Seongwoo was shocked.

Daniel shook his head, equally surprised that the other's father would do that. What a cruel dictator. He didn't think that controlling with fear and being domineering to your subjects was a good way to lead. It would make people want to leave even more and spread all sorts of stress and negative emotions. No wonder they didn't chat. His father was making them unhappy by taking away their sense of freedom.

"If I did something like that, my father would beat me half d...I mean he might be angry."

Seongwoo hid his back paw and the tip of his tail not before Daniel noticed scarred marks that resembled scratches and bites. He flushed further as Daniel exposed and licked the wounds. Seongwoo told Daniel to stop but he ignored the cat shifter. Somehow, the dog shifter felt hurt and furious and wanted to make them disappear quickly.

 "How dare he mark your pretty body..." Daniel growled.

Seongwoo shivered and pushed Daniel’s head away with a paw. "Forget I said anything. Slip of the tongue. Ask me another question."

Daniel's eyes were flashing. "Does he beat you?" He repeated the question with a warning growl.

Seongwoo cowered, slightly frightened. "Sometimes. When I refuse courting and when he catches me going around in my human form..."

Daniel shook his head with a serious, displeased face. "That's unforgivable. Your own family? You can’t stay there. Come to my camp."

Seongwoo snorted and shook his head. "I can disguise myself but I can't fool your sharp mutt noses. It could cause issues further and disrupt the calm with the fued."

He had a point. Their clans were in a truce but not a stable one. They might think that the chief’s son was abducted, starting the battle of the century.

"Then let's run away and live in the human world. I know enough about how to get shelter, food, water, and get around. That's better than you being beaten for just being yourself and having your own opinion."

Seongwoo rolled his eyes but there was hope and interest there. Daniel's idea was tempting. The idea of freedom, no stress, no beating and fearing his father's rage. It was very tempting. All except dog shifters were their enemies for centuries. How could he trust one?

The cat shifter spent several silent moments just staring into the big brown eyes of the other, trying to get a grip on his true character. It didn't make much sense with all he knew from history, but somehow he felt like the dog shifter was saying the truth and like he could trust him, more so than most people in his clan. This dog shifter was different than all the rumors, which were not so good.

"Okay, but not right now. If something happens again with my father, if I feel like I'm in danger more than normal and I've had enough of this life, I will run here and call your name. Can you get here fast?"

 "Sure I can. I'm a light sleeper, have excellent hearing, and I'm the fastest runner in my clan since my father when he was younger. I will get to you, fight off your father or whomever is bothering you."

Seongwoo shook his head, his green eyes taking on concern. "I wouldn't want you to get hurt or them for that matter. I will try to hide and you can find me, then let's run as fast as we can for town."

"Okay, it's a deal."

Daniel smiled and put his large, white paws over Seongwoo's smaller brown ones. They were just as soft and warm and fragile as he imagined. He felt an intense need to protect this cat. Seongwoo smiled and looked down at the ground, feeling shy at his caring, trustworthy look.

"Thank you..."

"You're very welcome, Cutie."

Seongwoo pouted. "I'm not cute."

"Yes, you are. And pretty. Very pretty."

Seongwoo playfully glared up at the dog, his stark green eyes revealing flecks of gold that sparkled beautifully in the sunlight. Those were truly some incredible eyes. Daniel was mesmerized, enough he could get lost staring at them and even forget to eat.

"Careful there, Big Guy Meong meongie. I've slashed people for less," Seongwoo warned with a cool tone.

Daniel smirked. "I think I can take you. You're tiny, well maybe not in comparison to regular cats but certainly to me. I can sit on you."

"You wouldn't!" Seongwoo gasped, looking adorably horrified at the idea of being squished, his emerald eyes round as the full moon.

"I think I would. If you start a fight, I will take it seriously and I always aim to win. I like games."

"Then I will change to my human form. I'm tall and flexible. You won't have the advantage then," Seongwoo challenged with an attractive smirk.

Daniel scoffed and smirked back, eyes twinkling with amusement. He liked this kid's spunky, witty, playful nature. He was really different than others. Likable, unique, funny, not to mention cute and beautiful.

"Now I'm curious. Kind of hoping that I get to see your form, but I'm sure I'm taller and bigger that way too. Not that I'm saying I hope you get in trouble but..." Daniel rushed to say, feeling like he had said something insensitive.

Seongwoo giggled, laughing. It was a sweet sound that made Daniel's ears tingle pleasantly. He started batting absently at Daniel's floppy, fluffy ears.

"I know what you mean. I'm curious about you too. I hope that I seem manlier than you than when we're in these forms..."

"Don't lick or bite your lips. It's distracting."

Seongwoo did it again, a spark of defiance in his look.

"I'm a cat. Licking is kind of what we do. Weirdo. Anyway, I should get going. It's about time for lunch. My sister will be looking for me."

Daniel wondered if she was as pretty as him, but he didn't see that being possible. Seongwoo was the prettiest, most adorable, friendliest cat he had ever seen or heard of. He was one of a kind and Daniel wanted to see him again soon.

He reminded before Seongwoo left, "Shout my name as loud as you can if you're in trouble."

Seongwoo looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Daniel, right? I like your name."

"I think I prefer your name. Seongwoo, Seongwoo, Seongwoo~"

Seongwoo made a snort of disagreement, then showed a flattered smile, his stark green eyes disappearing for moment as he bashfully lowered his eyes. His name sounded different from the dog's mouth somehow. 

"Maybe see you around."

"Hopefully soon, but not under those circumstances."

"Be careful, Seongwoo. And run fast to here if you're in trouble."

"Got it. I'm pretty nimble."

Daniel looked at his thin, brown, very long legs. "I can see how you might be. You've got spaghetti legs, the longest I've ever seen."

"Told you I'm tall, but that's an odd choice of a compliment."

"Sorry, I really didn't mean to insult. I suck at compliments," Daniel stuttered out hurriedly, worried his flattery had been misunderstood as the opposite.

"Relax, Meong Meongie. You're quite the cute dork."

With that and a little musical purr of a giggle, he disappeared into the grass with only a sassily flicking brown tail tip. Daniel watched Seongwoo go with a smile, feeling proud he had at least made the shifter a bit happier.

 

 

"Daniel! Daniel!"

Seongwoo was running as fast as he could despite his leg was stinging and bleeding from his father's scratches.

He had caused a bottle to fall off the shelf of the house when their scuffle started getting bad, which luckily had landed on his father's head. Seongwoo hadn't taken a chance for him to regain his conscious and continue his rage fit. Seongwoo had got caught that night in his human form. He had merely been curious about what it looked like again, wondering what Daniel would think of it, and liked the feeling, so he had been lounging about in the sleeping area. His sister had failed to hear their father coming and give him proper warning this time.

First, his father lectured sternly. Then, he had mistakenly talked back, insisting humans weren't bad and there were many uses and benefits about his human body so he wanted permission to use it. When he had said his honest feelings, that sometimes he felt he didn't belong here and wished he would have been born as a human, his father completely flipped out in a way he had yet to see in his entire life.

He was lucky to be only bleeding in a few places and rather bruised. No broken bones. He could still run. Get to Daniel. God, he hoped that the dog shifter could hear him. If not, he was likely to be breathing his last moments on Earth.

"Daniel! Daniel! Dan--!"

He fell to the ground, tripping over a rock. It hurt so much that he just laid there, nursing his wound and feeling helpless. Just when he was about to give up and think that the dog shifter had abandoned him in his time of need, he heard furious steps and barking. It wasn't a familiar sound but he hoped that it was the shifter he had met coming to his rescue.

"Seongwoo? Seongwoo? Where are you?" The familiar voice shouted quite closer moments later. Seongwoo heard him frantically hustling about in the grass.

Oh thank God, he was here. He really came. Seongwoo hadn't been happier at someone keeping their promise before. He had been right about his instincts--this dog shifter was different, he was incredibly trustworthy.

"Here!" He said as loud as he could and waved his tail.

Luckily, Daniel was able to pinpoint and see that with his enhanced senses. There was more rustling in the grass and heavy steps from a large animal. Then, the massive white dog with the sweet smile and adorable, warm eyes came out. Seongwoo had never seen the rumored angels humans talked about but that's what he seemed like at that moment. His blessed savior.

"Seongwoo! You're hurt? How bad?" He was all concern and caring and gentle when he inspected his body, licking at his wounds.

"It's not so bad that I can't walk a ways, with some help..." He reassured weakly.

"I can carry you, on my back or in my teeth. If we don't have enough time."

Seongwoo winced, finding one painful and embarrassing and one uncomfortable and rather scary. Daniel laid down and licked his head with affection.

"I missed you."

Seongwoo put his face into the other's fluffy neck, feeling shy when he said cheesy things like that. It reminded him how deep their friendship and attachment had become. Seongwoo didn't feel like he had anyone else in the world outside his family. Daniel had become his best friend.

"I missed you too."

"Your dad did this, right? He's lucky I have never seen him so I don't know what he looks like. I would tear him to shreds for what he's done to you. We're leaving tonight. I can't send you back there not knowing what's going to happen to you. Not this time. I have had enough, Seongwoo, I am serious. I  won't be able to live with the worry. And the thought that you may not ever come back terrifies me..."

Seongwoo nodded, growing colder and sadder at the thought. "I won't argue this time. Let's go."

They had met a couple times in the same area and grown quite close over the months. Seongwoo considered him his closest if not only real friend. There had been times where he had shown up with new scratches but he had refused Daniel's offer to run away because he hadn't felt like it was something serious. Today was different. There was a murderous intent in his father's yellow eyes he had never seen quite before. He didn't dare go back. 

"We should get going. He's after you I guess?"

Seongwoo gulped and nodded. Daniel licked at his face, clearing away his tears.

"Hey, don't worry. He can't catch me. And even if he did, I would put myself at risk to keep you safe. Just so you know. He's not touching a whisker on you ever again over my dead body."

That made him even more scared though, now not for himself but for his friend.

 "Let's go quickly. I don't want you to fight with him if we can avoid it. I will let you carry me."

"Alright. Just bear with the pain a bit. I will be as gentle as I can but I also don't want to drop you while I'm running."

Seongwoo nodded in understanding of his dilemma and put his head down. Daniel put the scruff of his neck between his teeth and picked him up. Seongwoo assured that it wasn't unbearable. Then Daniel started to run through the forest while carrying the cat in his mouth. To him it was a casual speed but to other's even among the shifters it was startlingly quick. Daniel hadn't been lying about being infamously fast.

They ran in silence, Seongwoo biting his tongue not to make a sound from his pain or the fear. He didn't want to alarm or distract Daniel.

 

 

After an hour, they reached town. Daniel released Seongwoo by a store underneath a bush and licked his sore neck.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly with sweet concern.

"I'm a bit bruised and sore and my leg aches..." Seongwoo admitted.

"I will get us some clothes and medicine. Then we will need to figure out food and a place to stay from there."

Seongwoo napped under the bush while Daniel was gone. He came back with a first aid kit and clothes he had stolen after out running the angry humans chasing them.

"Sorry I don't know your size. I think these will be too big for you but I figure too big is better than too small."

"I don't mind. Anything's good."

They decided to face the other way as they transformed into each other's human forms. They had both been looking forward to this moment and wondering what the other's human form would look like. They got dressed and then counted to three before turning around excited yet anxious.

"Woah!" They both went, their mouths gaping and fingers pointing as they looked each other up and down several times. They were speechless for a full minute but it was clearly in a good way. 

They were both tall, pale, brown eyed, and skinny. Seongwoo had soft, silky dark brown hair but Daniel had glistening, golden hair. Daniel was physically bigger which made him appear taller. His shoulders were incredibly wide and he was thick and buff. Seongwoo on the other hand was lean, thin, and more frail looking. Seongwoo had the most incredible, unusual face with three freckles on his cheek in a triangle. Daniel had smaller sweet eyes that scrunched up to be almost invisible when he smiled brightly and he had a freckle under his eye. 

"You're pretty!"

"You're handsome!"

"I'm taller."

"No, I think I'm taller."

"Clearly, I'm a centimeter taller."

"I think that's just your hair."

They both started laughing after their playful argument stopped as that really didn't matter and hugged each other tight.

"It's good to finally see the other you, Seongwoo. I can't say which form is more beautiful honestly. I think you won't have problems finding a job."

Seongwoo smiled with satisfaction that he liked this form too and shivered from the way Daniel was touching his neck. His human skin was surprisingly sensitive. He squeezed Daniel tighter, tears filling his eyes. He was just overwhelmed with emotions now. It had been a long night.

"Thank you for coming for me. I hope that you know what you're doing out here. Because I don't have a clue and I'm a bit scared. Just tell me what you need me to do and I will try my best. I will try not to become a burden," he whispered.

"You could never be considered a burden to me. You're my closest friend, Seongwoo. You’re my...I mean, I wish you were my, um..."

Seongwoo was surprised to see his friend stuttering which he had never seen before. He pulled back to see Daniel was smiling shyly and blushing, avoiding his eyes. Why was that?

"You wish I was your what?"

Daniel squatted down and opened the first aid kit with shaky fingers. He cleared his throat, his rounded face blushing pale pink up to his ears, the spitting image of a peach. 

"Not important now. I will tell you later, once we're cleaned up, got you healed and set up with a place to stay. Sit down and lift your pants leg up."

Seongwoo obeyed and watched Daniel curiously as he expertly cleaned up his wound and wrapped a bandage around.

"You're all set. Feel a lot of pain? I can steal some pain killers."

Seongwoo smiled as they pulled down his pants leg. Daniel flushed darker and his eyes popped open when Seongwoo took his hand in his.

"You would make the perfect mate. You're so caring and reliable."

"Why do you say that?" He stuttered, hiding a smile behind his hand that was free. “About mating…you know I haven’t ever mated…”

Seongwoo shrugged and grinned wide. "I don't know. It just came to my mind. It's the truth though. I really think you would be a great mate. When you come of age."

"For you?"

Seongwoo stopped laughing and gaped. He hadn't meant that nor expected Daniel to ever ask such a thing. Daniel looked even more surprisingly serious and very nervous. Daniel squeezed his hand tighter in both of his. It was incredibly warm and trusting. Seongwoo really liked this new feeling of skin on skin. But he had a feeling he liked it more because it was the friend he grew to care about and adore.

 "Do you think that maybe... someday...I could be a good mate for you....and only you...forever?" He repeated very softly, pausing to put emphasis on important parts of his confession.

 The two shifters in human forms for the first time stared at each other trying to read the other's eyes. Daniel's hands were slightly shaking. Seongwoo's heart was skipping and his mind full of static. Seongwoo flushed and chewed on his lip. He didn't need to think long about his answer to that, even if t was a surprising question.

"I don't know how it would be possible, but if it were... Yeah, someday I that I would like that. I mean if you wanted someone boring and oversized like me..." he muttered bashfully.

"Oh, good to know."

Daniel beamed. They looked at each other with happy shy grins, holding on to each other's hands as if neither intended to let go in the future.

“Don’t bite your lip. I told you a million times before it’s distracting," Daniel narrowed his eyes and growled in a playful puppy-like manner.

Seongwoo’s almond eyes twinkled playfully. He continued gnawing on his lower lip, his kitten like lips curling up at the elongated corners. “It was hardly a million and like I said I am a cat. It's our habit. What will you do about if I just can't help it?”

“Now that we’re human, we're alone, and it doesn’t matter that our families are ancient enemies…This.”

Seongwoo was startled as the blonde jumped forward and pressed their lips together. He didn’t know what that was—it was something animals didn’t do. But it felt really nice. Extremely nice in fact. He closed his eyes and basked in the brand new feeling. Daniel seperated and then pushed their lips together several times, making soft smacking noises, changing the pressure so there was more contact in various areas, each just as nice if not more so than the other, each doing funny things to their heart rate. Then he bit and sucked on Seongwoo’s lower lip. Seongwoo purred at the pleasant, exciting feeling on his incredibly sensitive skin, his body heating and tingling everywhere, his head feeling dizzy. What on earth was this feeling? Was he flying? Was he on fire? 

Daniel pulled back, petting his pinkened cheek and smiling softly. His eyes were dilated and very warm and dark. Seongwoo's were similar.

“Once I’m of age, you’re going to be my mate, Seongwoo. And I want to do this a lot.”

“What’s that called?” he asked in a breathy, amazed tone, blinking in his special way that made Daniel's heart flip.

“A kiss. It’s a way to express affection in human form. Did you like it?”

Seongwoo gulped and flushed. Did he like it? Like was far from sufficiently describing what he had just felt about that action. He loved it beyond words. He merely nodded, unsure how to express his feelings. He was still reeling by the idea of his friend wanting to be his mate and that he was going to be living in human form from now on.

“Good. Come on. Let’s get some food and then find a way we can make some money. We’ve got a busy couple days ahead of us.”

Daniel stood up and held out his hand. Seongwoo tentatively put his hand in the other’s. Daniel held him tight, feeling strong, reliable, and oh so caring. Seongwoo’s heart lifted and warmed. They smiled at each other. For the first time in possibly ever he felt happy, safe, and free. All because of his savior alnd closest friend who loved him unconditionally even to the point of wanting to try interspecies mating which was unheard of. All thanks to his sweet, caring, bright, dorky Daniel. 

“I’ll just follow what you do.”

“I’m going to take good care of you, Seongwoo. I know what I’m doing. You won't have any reason to worry. Just trust me.”

“I know. I do. With my everything. I will follow you. To the day of our last breath…To the ends of the Earth if you should ask...”

 

Daniel beamed and then suddenly swooped in and kissed him again, more passionately and longer than before. Seongwoo turned strawberry red and started reeling, feeling dizzy from the explosions of sensations on his virgin body.

“Woah. Give me some warning please…” he gasped in complaint.

Daniel held him steady in case he fell over. Both of them felt like they were floating with happiness from the sensation of the intimate act. 

Daniel’s smile was wicked and playful, very much similar to what he looked like as a dog on the day they first met. “I simply love your reactions to that. I am already addicted to doing this and see exactly why human mates do it so often. I don’t think I’m going to give you any warning in the future as well.”

Seongwoo pouted, looking precious enough to stick in his pocket. “Daniel, don't do that to me…”

“What? You knew I was like this and you agreed to run away with me, Seongwoo. Get used to being teased and loved. Life is more fun that way. Don't be like your stuffed up bore of a tribe. You are different and that's precisely why I like you. Well, liked. Now it's more like adore beyond all reason. Come here, Cutie~”

Seongwoo giggled as he tried to run away from the big, strong blonde attacking him with kisses on any part of his body he could come in contact with. Needless to say, it was quite a while before the playful pair did anything remotely productive, and both of them liked that they were finally allowed to live like that. Away from the pressures of being the next in line and from the boundaries of being destined enemies not allowed to interact. Now they were just Daniel and Seongwoo. Even more, they were Ongniel. And no one could interfere with that. Forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter of this story and a mini story that is quite romantic and sweet, Romeo and Juliette with the happy ending I wished it had but with shifters~ I hope that you enjoy it.
> 
> Thanks so much for sticking with this story. I understand if you unsubscribe but my hope is that you won't so that later you can recommend it to a friend or read it again. I have had a lot of fun writing this. It all started out with a dream that encompassed the first 3-4 chapters but since then I've just been totally making up this story as I go along. I made a side story to this that was originally one of my alt story epilogues. It's with Daniel as a dog shifter and Ong as an unhappy business man stuck in a dead end job and really needing some excitement in his life. It has all of w1 in it but they have different roles, most of them being shifters. I hope you will check it out as it's completed now as well(sorry it has taken way too long to transfer this story from AFF so you probably already know of it)
> 
> It's called Puppy Love, and you can check it out here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13608948/chapters/31243338
> 
> I have really appreciated your love and all of your comments. I read and enjoyed every single one of them. I'm sorry that I haven't replied yet to everyone, things just got busy with life and juggling many stories. I will reply someday! Thank you for supporting me! Please check out my other stories if you like my writing. They will be continuing on for quite a long while.


	37. Sequel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here to inform you of a sequel to this story.

This sequel is called Pawpads. It is an mpreg slice of life romantic comedy parenting and hybrid au. You will see Daniel's cats as their shifter children and you will also see a pregnant, very bratty Ong and Daniel as the absolutely most perfect husband/father in the world.

 

I'll leave the link here. I really hope you will check it out. It's just going to be three chapters and it's a feel good story. Thanks for your support on this story up until now. This sequel is a gift to the fans of this world.

 

<https://archiveofourown.org/works/17593241/chapters/41469689>

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written Wanna One AU before and I've also never written some story related to animals. But I've always liked that kind of story and wanted to try my hand at it. I got inspired by this dream I had, Daniel's love for cats that borders on obsession, and the fact that Ong really resembles and often acts like a cat. In my dream, I saw all of these cute moments with a cat Ong and a college boy Daniel on an MT and then I thought 'well, what would it be like if the cat somehow followed him to the dorm and it turned out he was a shapeshifter and they became really close later' And so, I decided to start this fluffy romantic funny little story. 
> 
> The italic parts in this chapter are what Daniel thinks he's saying and also what Seongwoo is actually saying. Daniel is so in love with cats and Seongwoo is also special so they can kind of telepathically communicate. Although Daniel just thinks he's imagining it by being intuitive to cat's expressions and needs. There will be Ong's POV next! This story is going to be rather short chapters. But I hope that you can tune in every couple of weeks and read this fluff. This plot and backstory isn't fully thought out be warned and I'm totally writing this story as I go along because it's on total impulse so it might not be so good and it may get confusing, sorry to say. But then again, it's meant to kind of be meaningless fluff and cuteness. 
> 
> Things you learned about Daniel: he loves beer, he loves meat, he loves cats, he's from Busan, he is embarassed by his accent, he cannot speak Seoul dialect well, he's a freshman in college studying IT, he talks to himself, he gives compliments easy and often, he cares about the environment, he never litters, he knows a lot about cats, he has several cats at home, he lives in a dorm with Jisung. 
> 
> Please tell me what you think of the first chapter~! Author will replay as heartykeykeke or you can message her on AFF personally. You can also read the next part of this story there if you’re really curious. This will be updated every here and there.


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